I'll Meet You On Route 62
by Twilit Violet
Summary: Mack has settled into a quiet life in Radiator Springs, but when a car from his past runs into him, literally, everyone in town feels the impact. MackxOC Rated for mild language, violence, and sensuality. COMPLETE!
1. Tractor Crossing

_A/N: Until now I have been writing only Lilo & Stitch fan fiction. The following is my first attempt at breaking into a new fandom. Specifically, Cars! Why, you ask? (as in "Why the heck should I care what this wacko is writing about now?" XP) Well, why not? There's just too much I love about Cars NOT to write a fanfic or two or three. For one thing, I have so many favorite characters in this movie it's not even funny. If I have to choose one ultimate fave, it's Mater (Big surprise! XP), then, in no particular order, Fillmore, Mack, Sheriff, Doc Hudson, Chick Hicks, Red, and all the rest are so-so. _

_My debut Cars fic focuses on Mack, with a healthy sprinkling of everyone else for that savory Radiator Springs flavor. I'm going to try not to make this story too Mary Sue-ish, even though I'm introducing an original female character and this story's got romance as a sub-category. Mostly I'm just winging this one, though I've got a few ideas and four chapters written already. _

_As I write this, I pray that it stays true to the personalities of the characters while at the same time expounding a little on each of them. Be prepared for possible OOC-ness anyway. Also keep in mind this may be a bumpy ride, so please be at least moderately gentle with your reviews. Constructive criticism and ideas are always welcome, but if there's something you don't like about my story, please explain why tactfully, or don't bother to review at all. Okay, shutting up now XP_

_Summary: Mack has settled into a quiet life in Radiator Springs, but when a car from his past runs into him - literally - everyone in town feels the impact. (MackxOC) Rated for mild language, violence, and sensuality._

I'LL MEET YOU ON ROUTE 62

CHAPTER ONE:  
TRACTOR CROSSING

"Dagnab it, Mater! If I see one more tractor cross this street I'm throwin' you in the impound lot!"

It was high noon of an autumn day when the town of Radiator Springs was shaken by a tractor stampede, followed by Sheriff's griping.

"Dude, what kinda threat is that?" asked Ramone, driving up behind the squad car. "He _lives_ in the impound lot!" Sheriff was too busy wrangling a stray tractor to answer. Lights flashing, he chased the animal past Fillmore's Taste-In where two more tractors were idly grazing on the lawn.

"Hey man, these things are eating my grass!" Fillmore complained.

"You've got a horn! Use it!" Sheriff barked without slowing down.

"What're you complaining about, hippie?" growled Sarge from his side of the fence. "That overgrown jungle you call a lawn could use a good mowing!"

Doc Hudson followed shortly after Sheriff, counting the tractors along the way. He stopped to consider the two on Fillmore's lawn. "Don't chase them off just yet," he advised. "As long as they're not hurting anything, just let them be. It'll make it a lot easier to round them up later."

"But they're hurting my grass!" Fillmore whined. "It worked really hard to grow this tall, and they're totally invading on my lawn's right to live!"

"They're doing you a favor!" Sarge argued, clearly enjoying his neighbor's plight. "Your lawn looks ten times better already!" the jeep said, driving up to the nearest tractor and regarding it with a newfound respect. "It was worth the stampede," he added, smiling.

Moments later Red and Lightning came up the road, herding half a dozen tractors between them. Sheriff's charge changed course to join its fellows in grazing. Nine tractors now crowded the hippie's yard, devouring his precious grass. Sarge's elation at this was short-lived as a few of the animals wandered over to his own neatly trimmed lawn.

"Get out of here, you stupid beasts!" he yelled. "You're ruining my lawn!"

"Lighten up, man," Fillmore told him with a cool smile. "They're just mowin' it for you."

Out in the street, Sheriff, Doc, Red and Lightning stood counting the tractors.

"Okay," Doc said, "that's nine right there. Luigi's got three in his shop and I think Flo's got two down at the café. Plus Red tipped four over by the courthouse, so…"

"That's only eighteen," Sheriff remarked, turning to scan the rest of the town. "What about Mack?" he asked suddenly, turning back to Lightning. "I saw him herding a bunch out behind the Cozy Cone."

"I'll go check," said McQueen before speeding off toward the motel.

"Mind the speed limit!" Sheriff shouted in his wake. "Dang city boy."

McQueen swerved off the road and onto the patchy brown grass behind the motel. He found Mack with his back to him. He had five tractors cornered behind a cone.

"Great job, Mack!" Lightning said loudly, causing the big rig to jump.

"Jeez, Lightning! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Mack grumbled, turning to see the racer pull up beside him. "You know that if _you_ can't see my rearview mirror, I can't see _you!_ And trust me, you don't wanna get sideswiped by a semi that didn't see you!"

"Ah, I wouldn't worry," Lightning replied coolly. "You're the safest driver I know, Mack, and surprisingly nimble for a big rig."

Mack smirked. "Thanks. Now how 'bout helping me herd these tractors into your trailer?"

Lightning nodded, then did a double-take. "Wh — not my trailer!" he cried.

"Why not? It'll only be for a few minutes, and it'll make it a lot easier to get them back out to their pasture."

"Yeah but — I just restocked the mini bar, and the upholstery was cleaned a month ago…"

"Relax, buddy. The trailer's insured."

"No dice! Besides, we'd never be able to fit all these tractors into that little trailer. Two, maybe three, and there's about twenty more where these came from. C'mon, we can wrangle these beasts ourselves!"

"I already wrangled them," Mack said. "They've been wrangled for the last five minutes, and they're not gonna get any more wrangled than this! It's moving them out of here that's the tricky part."

"Oh come on," McQueen replied, "how hard can it be? You just need to be a little more persuasive. Like this." The racecar approached the nearest tractor and revved his engine up to an earsplitting decibel. The whole herd gave a single, frantic "MOO!" and scattered, bumping into each other and nearly running over Lightning in their haste to escape. Two tipped over while the other three took off in different directions.

When the dust settled, Mack and Lightning exchanged some awkward looks.

"While I'm not questioning the effectiveness of your technique," Mack said, "I'd be foolhardy not to suggest a smoother approach next time."

Lightning blushed, then covered it with a scowl. "Well then, how do _you_ do it?" he demanded.

Mack shrugged. "Hey, just because I'm big doesn't mean I can't be gentle. You could always be a little _less _hasty, you know. Try slowing things down a bit and you'd be surprised with the results."

The racecar scoffed. "Lightning McQueen doesn't know the meaning of the word _slow_!"

"And Mack Trucker doesn't know the meaning of the word _salubrious_! Seriously, though, be a little more tactful next time, okay? Now let's go wrangle us up some tractors." Mack drove off with Lightning at his side.

"What do you mean, _tactful_?" McQueen muttered. "I thought that was very tactful."

"I suppose you would," Mack agreed, "livin' in the fast lane and all, but here in the mystical land of reality I'd have to call you on that one."

"Oh, shut up!" Lightning grumbled, driving past him. "You're just jealous because I was built for speed and you weren't!"

Mack chuckled. "You can keep the speed, me bucko. I was built for strength and, need I remind you, being nimble!"

This time Lightning laughed. "Right, I forgot! Look out, everyone! Make way for Mack Be Nimble!" They were back on the main street now. Lightning saw Sheriff, Doc and Red waiting for him and started to speed up, but a warning look from Sheriff nearly halted him in his tracks. He approached them slowly. Mack pulled up behind him.

"How many tractors did you get, Mack?" Doc asked.

"Maybe you should ask Speedy McQueenie here," Mack replied, giving the hotrod a scathing look.

Feeling both Mack's and the Hudson's eyes on him, Lightning answered. "Well, he started out with five, but — "

"But Dipstick here scared 'em off," Mack finished for him. Lightning smirked at him. "Of course, I'm just paraphrasing," Mack added, smirking back.

Sheriff growled. "Dagummit! Where in Ford's name is Mater? He should be the one cleaning up this mess! I'm supposed to be on patrol, not rounding up a bunch of brainless beasts!"

Doc opened his mouth to answer, but Lightning beat him to it. "Whoa! Hold on a sec! How do you know this was Mater's fault?"

"When is it ever NOT his fault?" Sheriff argued. McQueen frowned at him, then looked around questioningly.

"Well, I don't see him anywhere."

"No doubt hiding out somewhere," Sheriff grumbled. "But as soon as I find him I'm gonna — "

"No need, Sheriff," Doc cut in. "Because Mater had nothing to do with it. He was on the lift in my clinic when the stampede started."

Sheriff's mouth hung open, his last argument dying on his lips. Lightning gave him an "I told you so!" look.

"I'd better go get him down so he can set up the tractors that tipped over," Doc said as he turned and drove off toward the clinic, leaving Sheriff, Red, Mack and Lightning in the middle of the street. All four were silent for a moment until Red honked at a couple of tractors who were starting to wander away from Fillmore's yard. The sudden noise knocked Sheriff from his stupor. He observed the small herd with a puzzled expression.

"I don't get it," he murmured. "If Mater didn't do it, then who…?" he trailed off, looking to Lightning for an answer. The racecar had none. Sheriff sighed heavily. "Well, I guess I'd better go make my rounds. Maybe I'll find a clue as to what started the stampede," he added, rolling away. The doubt in his voice was obvious. Lighting watched him go, puzzling over the same thing. He turned to Red.

"Help Sarge and Fillmore keep an eye on these tractors," he told the fire truck. "I'm going to go look for the rest." He drove off quickly, keeping his speed in check this time. Mack drove off in the opposite direction to do the same.

As Lightning reached the Cozy Cone he heard Sally call out to him.

"Hey Stickers! Is this what you're looking for?" He turned to see his fiancee come out from behind a cone with a tractor in tow. When she stopped in front of Lightning, the animal caught up to her and started nibbling on her rearview mirror. She growled, looking at the racecar expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, aren't you going to do something about this?" Sally demanded. McQueen bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Nah. I think I'll just leave you two alone to get better acquainted," he purred, turning to drive away. "After all, I wouldn't want to be a third wheel."

Sally growled. "You've been nothing BUT a third wheel ever since you arrived in this town! Now are you going to intervene or do I have to drive down the aisle with a tractor instead of _you_?"

Lightning stopped short and turned around to face her. "Seriously?"

Sally smirked. "Forget it, Hotrod. You know, getting married to a tractor is starting to sound more appealing by the second."

McQueen laughed at this and disengaged the tractor from Sally's mirror. "Well, that's nineteen down," he said, giving the animal a nudge toward Luigi's tire shop. "Four more to go." The tractor headed straight for the stack of tires outside the front door of the shop. Before it could even sink its teeth into one, Luigi came bursting out of his shop shouting Italian obscenities. Two of the three tractors he had detained inside now took the opportunity to escape, despite Guido's frantic efforts to restrain them.

"Hey! I said to keep those doors closed!" yelled Doc, coming back up the street. Luigi gave him a wounded look.

"But-a thees-a one ees-a eating my whitewalls!" he cried. "And-a you have not-a seen-a what they are-a doing to my Goodyears!"

Any argument Doc might have had was silenced by Guido's cry for help as he was dragged away by a tractor, a fork caught in the creature's grille.

Doc sighed wearily. "Here we go again." He turned to Lightning. "Go get 'im, Hotrod. I've got to go help Mater. He tried to get down from the lift by himself and now he's hanging upside down from it by his tow hook, with the cable wrapped around himself _and _the lift."

Lightning nodded, resisting the urge to go in and see Mater in said state for himself, and drove off after Guido. Hearing the tow truck calling him, Doc sighed again and returned to the clinic. Mater gave him a sloppy grin as he entered.

"Well shoot, Doc! You look downright happy from up here! Is you frownin' or is you smilin' all topsy-turvy?"

Doc stared at him, unfazed even as McQueen and Luigi zoomed by outside, yelling after a small herd of tractors bearing away an hysterical Guido. Mater watched them go by, then looked back at Doc. "Aw dang. Whud Ah miss?"

Half an hour later, all but one tractor had been found and rounded up.

"Stickers! Hey!" Sally shouted across the rumbling herd. Lightning was on the other side of it, trying to keep the animals in line.

"Hey! Hotrod!" Sally tried again, her call going unheard amid the droning moos of the tractors. She drove around the herd toward him.

"Hey." This time McQueen looked up. "Have you seen Lizzie?" Sally asked him. "I haven't seen her since before the stampede."

Lightning thought for a moment. "She's not in her store?"

Sally blushed. "I looked there already, but I forgot to check the back room," she admitted. "Will you go see if she's there? I need to find my rearview mirror. One of these overgrown lawnmowers chewed it off."

"I'm sure she's all right," the racer assured her. "She's a tough old gal."

"Check anyway!" Sally ordered, searching the herd for her mirror. "There's still one tractor missing," she added.

"Okay," McQueen gave in and drove over to Lizzie's souvenir stand. He found the door wide open but called her name a few times before entering. Inside, the floor was littered with bumper stickers and the debris of two or three shattered Radiator Springs snow globes.

Lightning found Lizzie in the back room — along with the missing tractor. The animal was licking her left front wheel well, to which the old Model T was responding with a girly giggle.

"Oh Stanley, you old roadster! You always know how to turn my crank!"

McQueen felt himself blush. It took him a moment to realize she was asleep. He revved his engine, hoping this would wake her. No luck. He revved louder, and succeeded in startling the tractor. The beast gave a panicked "Moo!" and bumped against Lizzie as it tipped over. This woke her up. The elderly car started, glancing about in bleary-eyed confusion before focusing on Lightning.

"Well, good morning, Hotrod!" she beamed, wobbling a little as she stood up. "What a crazy night that was, eh?"

McQueen blushed. The feeble cry of the overturned tractor caught Lizzie's attention and she turned to look at it. "Eh? How did I end up out here?"

_A/N: More to come very soon. Please R&R (and I don't mean rest and relaxation)_


	2. High Impact

_A/N: Thank you all for your generous reviews! But before you read any further, I think it's only fair to warn you all that this is no Disney story you're reading XP. Seriously, I've rated it T for a reason. There WILL be violence (but absolutely NO child abuse, rape or murder - at least not the murder of anyone from the movie), there WILL be sensuality (but not graphic enough to up the rating beyond PG-13), and there WILL be swearing, although I intend to keep it fairly mild (that means no S-word, no F-word, no C-word, no racial slurs, etc. The B-word will be the worst, if I use it at all). _

_I just want you all to know this ahead of time so you don't have a stroke or write me a nasty review when you stumble upon something unpleasant. I have also taken some liberties with car biology since the movie tells us next to nothing about it. On top of all this I am still aiming to keep everyone as in-character as possible and to stay true to the Cars universe. And there WILL be a happy ending!_

_If my warnings haven't scared you off, then please continue reading and enjoy!_

CHAPTER TWO:  
HIGH IMPACT

An hour later the citizens of Radiator Springs were idling around at Flo's Café, discussing the stampede and even managing a few laughs over the whole ordeal.

"The way Luigi chased after those tractors!" Lightning chuckled, nudging the little Fiat beside him. The Italian car glared at him coldly.

"Luigi did-a not think eet was-a funny," he grumbled, but by the sound of Guido's reply, the forklift begged to differ. Luigi growled at him. "And what-a are _you_ laughing about? Luigi ees not-a the one who ees-a being carried off by-a the savage tractors! Luigi ees not-a the one who ees-a crying like-a the leetle bambino forklift!"

Lightning had a hearty laugh at this, but turned away when the two started bickering in Italian. Mack was on his other side, filling up on diesel. It had taken quite a bit of fuel, as well as energy and effort, but the semi truck had managed to herd all the tractors back to the meadow where they belonged. This near-impossible feat had been left to himself and Red, they being the two largest vehicles in town. Their size and strength gave them the upper tire in taming both the tractors and the fearsome Frank.

Now, after the ordeal, everyone was treating themselves to a well-deserved break and an icy beverage at Flo's. Everyone, that is, except for Sheriff, who was on speed patrol down the road, and the Miata twins. Mia and Tia, who worked at Flo's as waitresses, had walled themselves up inside the café when the stampede began. Now they were making up for their absence in the community effort by running themselves ragged to please their demanding customers.

Sarge in particular seemed bent on giving them both a hard time. "You call this drink ice cold? It's lukewarm! And where's my straw? You'll never earn tips with service like this! And _smile! _Show some courtesy to your customers! Nobody wants to do business with that sour face! And don't talk back to me! Remember, the customer is ALWAYS right! You think _this_ work is hard? Why, I oughtta put you through my boot camp while carrying a whole tray full of drinks! That'll show you! Now look at Tia! _She's_ got natural poise! Plus she doesn't mouth off! You could learn from her!"

"But _I'm_ Tia!"

Across the parking lot, Mack was watching this with a smirk. The poor girl looked like she was about to cry. Glancing around, he noticed that Mia was busy fetching refills for Mater and Sally. He looked again at Tia, who was still getting chewed out by Sarge. _Well, if he wants her to make herself useful…_

"Hey, Sweet Cheeks!" Mack called to her. "Over here!" Startled, Tia looked over at him, her expression somewhere between puzzled and horrified.

Sarge growled. "Well, what're you waiting for? A green light? It's poor service to keep a customer waiting! _Go on!"_

Tia didn't need to be told twice. Serving anyone else would be a welcome change from the bossy jeep. She rolled up to the big rig, smiling meekly. "Can I help you?"

Mack smiled back. "Yeah, I'm ready to order now." Tia nodded expectantly. "I'll take a gallon of octane — better make that two — and a Miata on the side."

"Huh?"

"Well, I need someone to share it with, and who better than a cute little red Miata?" Mack said with a wink.

Tia frowned, puzzled. "I don't — "

"I'm asking you to join me for a drink," Mack said slowly, giving the words time to sink in. He offered her what he hoped was a charming smile. It took a ridiculously long moment for the waitress to understand and then to answer him.

"Oh!" Tia gasped. "Oh. Okay. I get it now." She glanced away nervously.

"So is that a yes?" Mack asked. Tia looked alarmed, but she quickly composed herself.

"Well that's very sweet of you and all, but… I'm working right now."

"I know, but maybe when you get off…?"

Tia blushed hard, eyes darting everywhere, avoiding Mack. "Sorry, but — I'm working!" She blurted the words out before turning quickly and zooming toward the café. Mack watched her go.

_For such a flirtatious little car, she sure is shy when the tables are turned, _Mack mused. He might have chalked her nervousness up to the possibility that she actually liked him, if he hadn't known from experience that her reaction meant just the opposite.

Tia returned a minute later with his order: two gallons of octane, but no one to share it with. He opened his mouth to speak but she drove off quickly before he could get a word out. Mack sighed heavily and sipped his drink. There were advantages to being a large truck, like having the strength to pull twenty, thirty or more tons, living off of the much cheaper diesel fuel, being exempt from smog inspections, being tall enough to see over crowds, and commanding respect wherever you go.

But there were disadvantages too, like being too big to fit into a lot of places that smaller vehicles liked to hang out, having to sleep outside most of the time, and being too intimidating to smaller vehicles — especially the ladies.

There'd been many instances where Mack had found himself turned down like this, and he knew it was through no fault of his own. Okay, so maybe he could use some new pick-up lines, but when it came to Lightning's two biggest (and loosest) fans, rejection came as a personal blow. The twins tended to flirt with just about any male who came their way, and it didn't take much persuading to lure one or both of them into a dark alley for an hour or two.

Although Mia and Tia both had flirted with Mack on a number of occasions in the past (_most likely out of habit_, he reasoned now), it was now quite obvious to the truck that they were afraid of him. Most cars were like that: always giving him a wide berth as though they feared being run over by him; always going out of their way to show him some extra courtesy to avoid angering him.

The distant whine of a siren roused Mack from his thoughts. Everyone at Flo's turned in sync to look down the road for its source. Like a mirage, a shimmering dark speck appeared on the horizon. The siren grew louder. Mack squinted against the blinding desert sun to see Sheriff chasing a speeder toward the town. A dark green Chrysler Concorde was racing several car-lengths ahead of the squad car.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion: without thinking, Mack pulled out of the café parking lot and into the main street just as the Chrysler reached the edge of the town. The smaller vehicle reacted to this sudden roadblock by slamming on its brakes and swerving. It went into a spin, tires screeching and smoking on the asphalt, and crashed sidelong into Mack's face.

A ringing silence followed. Stunned, Mack looked down at the wayward vehicle. Sheriff caught up finally, mouth agape and lights still flashing as he stared in awe at the wreck. A surge of frantic voices buzzed in Mack's ears as the crowd from Flo's approached, forming a tight circle around the wreck. Doc forced his way to the front of the crowd to examine the mangled car. Mack said nothing.

The Chrysler was unconscious, its entire right side crumpled. A puddle of oil was growing on the asphalt beneath it.

"Mater!" Doc shouted. "Get this car to my clinic immediately! She needs oil! _Now_!"

"Yessir, Doc!" Mater replied, moving through the crowd. He hooked his tow cable to the car's back bumper and hauled it into the clinic with Doc following close behind. Mack stared after them, eyes roving from the Chrysler's face to the trail of oil left in its wake. A minute later the tow truck was back.

"Shoot, Mack, you shore know how tuh stop a speeder!" he declared. "Ya done near killed 'er, but 'least ya got 'er tuh stop! Why, I ain't seen a wreck like that in ages!"

Still numb from the crash, the semi forced himself to look at Mater. The tow truck was beaming up at him as though he were his idol. "Sheriff oughtta deputize ya fer savin' the day!" he was saying, but Mack barely heard him above the earsplitting screech of spinning tires echoing in his head. An awkward silence dropped over the crowd. Everyone was now looking at Mack. Lightning nudged him with a front tire.

"You okay, Mack?" he asked in a quiet voice, as though he were afraid to startle the big truck. Mack glanced down at him, then hurriedly looked away down the road. It seemed to take a huge effort for him to reply.

"Yeah. I'm fine." His voice was strained. Doubtful, Lightning looked him over. Physically, he appeared to be all right. Save for a few scratches and some light dents on his front fender, he had sustained no damages. _Just another advantage of being so big… _But for every advantage, there is a disadvantage to counter it. In this case, the sheer amount of damage _he_ could do to smaller vehicles without even trying.

His eyes wandered over to the clinic door. "You did the right thing, Mack," Sheriff told him. "I'd never have caught him if you hadn't intervened. Dang speeders! Too damn fast for my taste."

"I know! Did you see how fast he was going?" Lightning said excitedly. "He must be a racecar! Sheriff! How fast was he going?"

"Well, when he passed the billboard I had him clocked at about a hundred and twenty. He sped up when I started after him. I reckon he reached over a hundred and sixty before he crashed."

"Wait," Sally cut in. "I thought Doc said he was a _she_!"

"That's what I heard," agreed Flo.

"I dunno, man," Fillmore drawled. "He, she, it… what's the difference?"

"If you don't know the difference by now — !" Sarge growled, but the bus cut him short.

"I _know_ the difference, man! I'm just saying what does it matter?"

"It doesn't!" Sarge argued. "Man or woman, either way I'm going to run them through boot camp so fast, they'll drop dead from exhaustion the next time they even _think_ about speeding!"

"But you ain't never had a girl in yer boot camp before," Mater spoke up.

"Doesn't matter," the jeep replied. "I'm an equal opportunity disciplinarian!"

"No need to get all huffy about it, Sarge," Sheriff said. "That Chrysler won't get away with speeding in this town, rest assured!"

"Besides, it's most likely a _he_ anyway," Lightning added.

"And what makes you so sure?" demanded Sally. Lightning winced at her tone.

"Well, I'm just saying… not many girls can drive that fast that I've seen."

"Oh yeah?"

Ramone jumped in before the conversation turned ugly. "But what if he's a _she_ and she's knocked up?" He looked questioningly at Sarge. "You gonna run a pregnant car through your obstacle course, Sarge?"

"I don't care if she's carrying triplets!" the jeep growled. "No one gets any special treatment when _I'm_ in charge!"

"Man, that's harsh."

"Where's the love, man?" asked Fillmore.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and find out," Lightning sighed, but Mater was already knocking on the clinic door.

"Hey Doc!" he shouted through the door. "Is that a guy car or a girl car ya got in there?" There was a muffled and very gruff-sounding reply. Mater accepted it and drove back to the others.

"What'd he say?" asked Lightning

"He said tuh put a muffler in it so 't he kin concentrate on fixin' 'er."

"So it's a _her_ then?

"Ah guess."

There was a moment of silence, then Sheriff told everyone to break it up. In seconds the street was cleared as everyone either went back to Flo's or went home. Only one vehicle remained, unmoved since the accident. Lightning approached him cautiously.

"Mack?"

The big rig stared straight down the road. "I'm _fine_," he insisted in a harsh tone that clearly said "I'm _not_ fine, but leave me alone anyway!"

Lightning nodded. "Right," he mumbled, but he let it go. Silent, he watched Mack watching the road for a moment before turning to join Sally at the café.


	3. Twisted Metal

CHAPTER THREE:  
TWISTED METAL

Mack sat alone in the middle of the road, gazing off into the shimmering distance. His tanks churned as he listened to wisps of the conversations going on over at Flo's. The other cars were still talking about the crash and the mysterious Chrysler and what ought to be done about it. They spoke of it as though it were merely highway gossip.

The probability that the car in question was female did not escape the big rig. In fact, it weighed heavily on his mind. Bad enough that he'd caused such an obscene amount of damage to another vehicle, but if it was a woman... that made it as bad as having wrecked _five _cars in Mack's eyes.

He didn't know how long he stood staring at the road ahead. If another car came up the road then, he probably wouldn't have seen it. All he could see was the panicked look in the Chrysler's eyes in that split second before impact. Deep blue eyes, almost violet in color, widening in horror of what was about to happen. Then the crash.

_Funny thing,_ Mack thought. _I didn't even feel it. If only the other car were as lucky. _He sighed heavily, looking down at the debris from the crash. A puddle of oil was seeping into the asphalt. Scattered in and around it were paint flakes and fiberglass, along with a couple of bolts from the car's undercarriage. The skid marks that led up to the mess were still smoking. The stench of burnt rubber made Mack slightly nauseous. He found this very odd as he was quite used to the smell after spending so much time around the racetracks. 

Being Lightning McQueen's chauffer had acquainted him with a number of things most cars weren't used to, like watching wrecks happen on a regular basis. The glamorous world of racing had always been a bit too fast-paced, even brutal, for his taste, but he was used to it. Some of the things he'd seen could give lesser cars nightmares, so why couldn't he shake _this _collision? In his younger days he'd been involved in a couple of fender benders with other semi trucks, but of course those were nothing compared to what had happened today.

Mack pulled off the road and drove on the dirt behind the Cozy Cone, keeping out of sight of other cars as he made his way back to his garage. It would have been faster and easier to take the main street, but at the moment he couldn't be bothered with the other cars' questions and piercing looks.

His garage, actually a makeshift lean-to built from spare bits of corrugated tin from Mater's salvage, stood back from the street a ways to give him some extra space. The structure stood next to the impound lot. Mack pulled in under the slanted roof, thankful that the open side of his home faced away from the street. He did not wish to catch the eye of anyone driving by.

Home at last, the big rig settled low on his axles and leaned away from the small ray of sunlight that snuck under the lean-to roof. The top of his cab and his right-side exhaust pipe scraped against the slanted roof, making him wonder when Mater would help him finish building it into a proper garage.

It had been tough enough scrounging up the parts needed to build it up to its current state. Coming up with another length of copper pipes or I-beams or whatever else it might take to raise the roof off the ground would be even harder. And if he wanted walls┘ _Well, at the rate things are going, I might as well kiss my privacy goodbye. Not that I ever really need any privacy, _Mack mused, _although walls WOULD come in handy if I happened to have a lady friend over. _He sighed, sinking even lower on his axles until his undercarriage touched the ground. _And that's a pretty big IF right there._

Mack's thoughts drifted back to the accident, and that horrible scene replayed itself in his mind, his thoughts coming in fragments amid the visions. _Screech, swerve, crash… All my fault… A pool of oil, growing fast… Dodge Ram it! Why did I pull out into the street? What was I thinking? Those eyes…so blue… so terror-filled… so familiar… What if I'm the last thing she ever sees?_

Huffing out a long breath, Mack slumped against the slanted roof of the lean-to, causing the thin metal sheeting to buckle. Somewhere a bolt came loose and the corrugated covering popped a seam, letting in a stray beam of sunlight through a small opening. The light fell across Mack's hood, and he backed away from it. As he did, his back end bumped one of the beams holding the roof up and the entire structure trembled, but thankfully remained intact.

_It's not easy being big, _he thought, then snorted. _Sometimes I think I'd even be willing to trade places with Guido!_ Though the thought was bitter, it roused a smile on Mack's face as he considered the benefits (as well as the troubles) of being a forklift.

Mack was just dozing off when Lightning came zooming up the street, the roar of his engine startling the semi awake.

"MACK! MACK!" McQueen shouted, skidding around the lean-to until he was face-to-face with him. The racecar looked hysterical. "Doc says to come to the clinic right away - it's an emergency!"

Mack's tanks churned. "Why?" he asked. "Is something wrong?" But Lightning was already driving away.

"No time!" he shouted back. "Just hurry!"

Mack followed him quickly. A small crowd was blocking the entrance to the clinic, and Lightning became lost in it. Everyone in town was there, murmuring to each other as they stood watching the clinic door, which was closed.

"I don't mean to break up the party, guys, but what's going on?" Mack asked loudly. His engine skipped a cycle when the entire crowd turned as one to glare at him. He winced. "What'd I say?"

"It's not what you said," Flo spoke up, driving toward him with loathing in her eyes and in her voice. "It's what you _did_."

The coldness of her words cut him deeply, and he all but cringed away from her. "What did I do?" he asked feebly.

Flo snorted and turned away. Mack looked from face to face at the crowd before him. All frowns and sneers. The expressions did not vary.

"You know exactly what you did," growled Sally, also turning away.

"No, I _don't_!" Mack insisted, looking around pleadingly. At that moment the clinic door opened, and out came Doc Hudson. The crowd parted for him as he rolled up to the big rig and fixed him with a deadly look.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," he said icily.

Mack backed away a little, then steeled himself. "Look, will somebody _please _just tell me what's going on?"

Lightning pulled up beside Doc and gave the truck a look of pity. "I guess this is really _my_ fault," he said sadly. "I invited you to live here against my better judgment." The racecar sighed and looked away. "I knew all along that you were just too big and too dumb to do anything right except haul me between races. And you couldn't even do _that_ right. After all, I would never have fallen out of my trailer and ended up here in hillbilly hell if it hadn't been for you and your reckless driving."

"Hey, _you're_ the one who ordered me to drive all night without a rest stop!" Mack argued. "That was _your_ fault! You said so yourself!"

Lightning sighed and made a sound like a tsk-tsk-tsk and drove away. Doc remained, glaring daggers at Mack. "What do you have to say for yourself, Mister Trucker?" he demanded.

Mack growled angrily. "I'm not saying anything to anyone until _some_body decides to tell me what the hell is going on!" he yelled, turning to address the whole town.

"You honestly don't know?" said Doc with a sneer. Mack frowned down at him, his silence speaking volumes. "Hotrod was right," Doc murmured, "you really are as dumb as you are large."

"I am _not_!" Mack protested. "I mean, I'm not _dumb_, not - _not large. _I mean I _am _large, but not dumb. That's what I meant," he added, blushing.

Doc smirked at him as the rest of the town broke into hysterical laughter at his statement. "Go look inside the clinic, moron," said the Hornet, "and you'll see what you did."

Burning with rage and embarrassment, Mack shoved his way through the crowd and stopped at the clinic door. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light inside the building and when they did, he gasped and backed away.

Oil and transmission fluid covered every surface, splattered against the walls, dripping from countertops and various instruments, and forming large puddles on the floor. In the middle of the mess was a mangled wreck, barely recognizable as a car. Mack knew from its dark green color that it was the Chrysler Concorde that had crashed into him.

A quiet moaning sound came from the wreck and Mack stared in horror as it attempted to move. Any car in _that_ condition couldn't possibly be alive, but the Chrysler was shuddering and moaning and Mack was terrified, but he did not move. He couldn't. He was frozen to the spot. The flattened car stood up on its front axles, the tires blown, and cracked an eye open to look upon the Mack truck pleadingly before collapsing in a heap, its last breath escaping in a wheeze.

Mack's engine raced as he stared down at the car he'd killed. A small movement caught his eye and he peered into the shadows behind the wreck. One by one, three tiny green cars, no bigger than spares, crawled out from under the Chrysler. The newborns cried and honked and nudged their dead mother, but to no avail. Tears welled in Mack's eyes and he lowered himself down on his axles to comfort the babies.

"Ssshhhhhh. It's okay, little ones. Don't cry. Daddy will take care of you." The babies looked up at him and screamed, hurrying to hide behind the Chrysler's carcass. Mack had no time to react to this as he was suddenly struck hard in the side, shoved away from the clinic and the terrified triplets.

"You monster!" Sheriff roared, backing up and then crashing into him again and again. With each hit, the squad car seemed to grow larger and larger until he was as big as Mack himself. The semi stood trembling and breathing heavily, bracing himself for another blow, but Sheriff was done with him. Doc pulled up to him then, and he was so big now that he was looking _down_ at the semi truck.

"You don't belong here," the Hornet's thunderous voice boomed. "There's no place in this town for giant monsters like you." Mack cringed, trying to gather the courage to tell Doc that _he_ was the giant one, but all that came out was a frightened whimper. He heard someone drive up behind him and turned to see Guido, towering over him like a skyscraper. The forklift glared down at Mack, sliding one of his massive forks underneath the big rig and then flipping him up into the air like a flapjack.

Mack rolled over and over through the rapidly darkening sky, screaming and blaring his horn at the rising full moon. A millisecond before crashing into it he woke up, panting and trembling, under the lean-to. Lightning was standing in front of him.

"Hey Mack, are you all right?" asked the racecar. Mack looked down at him in surprise.

"Wha — oh! Lightning! Uh, yeah, I'm all right. Just hunky-dory. Why do you ask?"

Lightning shrugged. "Oh, I was just driving by and I thought I heard you whimpering. I didn't wake you, did I?"

Mack blushed and shook his head. "Oh no. I was just— resting my eyes."

"Oh. I thought maybe you were having a nightmare," McQueen replied. "So... that wasn't you I heard moaning?"

Mack sighed in annoyance. "Jeez, can't a guy take a nap without getting the third degree? What time is it, anyway?"

"Quarter to five, and I thought you said you were just resting your eyes?"

Mack blushed again, thankful it wasn't noticeable with his paintjob. "I _was,"_ he argued, fidgeting, "but then — I must have fallen asleep. Oh, and anything you overheard does not necessarily reflect on how I think or feel about anything at all! Dreams are just dreams. You can't control 'em, _and they don't mean a thing_!" He said this last bit with a heated emphasis that made Lightning look at him curiously.

"What happened?" he asked Mack.

"What?"

"What did you dream about?"

Mack burned red and looked away. "I'd prefer not to talk about it," he mumbled, rolling out from under the lean-to and into the late afternoon sun. He headed toward the street. Lightning followed.

"Well, what if I guess?" Mack didn't reply. Lightning grinned, taking his silence for consent. "Okayyyyyy... well, judging by the sounds you were making, I'd say you were having a good dream... a VERY good dream."

Mack braked. Lightning came up beside him, smirking. "So, am I right?"

Mack started up again and drove on. "You're so far from right, you're left," he muttered, not looking at the racecar. Not to be put off, Lightning caught up to him and tried again.

"Was it that dream where the babe turns into a giant crane and knocks you out with her wrecking ball?"

"Yeah," Mack sighed as he pulled up to Flo's. "I wish."


	4. Veronica Vroom

A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your wonderful reviews! You have no idea how encouraging they are! Reviews fuel my writing, so please keep 'em coming!

CHAPTER FOUR:  
VERONICA VROOM

The sun was low in the sky by the time Doc Hudson emerged from his clinic. He looked exhausted, and had oil and transmission fluid smeared across his hood. Guido, who was stacking tires, was the first one to notice him. He rushed inside the tire shop and informed Luigi, who came bursting out with a barrage of questions about the Chrysler. This drew the attention of the rest of the town, and in no time flat a crowd had formed around the Hornet.

"Well, she lost a lot of oil, some transmission fluid… not to mention her brakes were completely shot, which would explain why she didn't stop in time to avoid the accident, but all in all… she pulled through, and she's in stable condition."

A collective sigh passed through the crowd at this news.

"So is she a guy or a gal?" Mater asked. Doc ignored the question.

"Well, brakes or not, that doesn't explain why she was speeding!" Sheriff spoke up. "Now move aside, I wanna question her!"

"Absolutely not, Sheriff," Doc said firmly. "I don't want anyone disturbing my patient while she's recovering. That girl is too weak for an interrogation."

"I'm not going to interrogate her!" Sheriff argued. "I've only got two questions for her: one, why was she speeding, and two, why I shouldn't slap the boot on her!"

"Look, I know how much you hate speeders, but did it ever occur to you that maybe she was speeding in order to escape from something?"

An awkward silence followed Doc's question.

"Like what?" Sally asked.

"Where in Ford's name did you get an idea like that?" Sheriff demanded. Here, Doc hesitated. He seemed reluctant to answer.

"Well, when she came to on the lift she panicked. I had to lower her before she fell off. Poor girl was sobbing hysterically and pleading with me to leave her alone. She's obviously been traumatized by something… or someone." Doc looked sternly at the crowd before him. "She's calmed down since then, but she doesn't seem to remember the outburst _or_ the crash."

"Do she got _am-nee-zee-uh_?" Mater asked, struggling to pronounce the word.

"No. She remembers who she is, just not the accident or the last few minutes leading up to it. It's a fairly common result of high-speed collisions. The memory will most likely come back to her in time. In the meantime — "

"Whut's her name then?" Mater interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"Wull, you said she 'members 'er name, an' we all need somethin' tuh call 'er by."

"I can think of a few choice names," Sheriff mumbled.

"She says her name is Veronica Vroom, but it doesn't matter because she won't be here very long. I'm only keeping her here to monitor her recovery, which should only take a few days. After that I'm sure she'll want to go home."

"But she was going a hundred miles over the speed limit!" Sheriff complained. "You all saw it! Doc, you can't seriously let her get away with that!"

"Who's the judge here?" Doc demanded. "Besides, after a collision like that, I've no doubt the girl learned a valuable lesson about speeding. Now then — "

"Um, hey Doc?" came a voice from the back of the crowd. Doc looked up to see Mack with a troubled look on his face. "Would it be all right if I talked to her? You know, apologize for the damage I caused?"

Doc looked at him curiously. Before he could answer, Sheriff spoke up. "Now what do you wanna go and apologize to _her_ for? _She_ ran into _you_!"

"Yeah, but I'm not the one laying in a wrecked heap in the clinic right now!" Mack argued, his voice higher than usual.

"You can go in," Doc said loudly, cutting off any argument Sheriff may have had. He considered the truck's immense size before adding, "I'll open the door and you can speak to her from the threshold. All right?"

"All right," Mack agreed, rolling forward. "Thanks, Doc." He stopped at the clinic door, which was as far as he could go. Doc passed him and went to open the door.

"Wait," Mack said suddenly. Doc paused. The semi turned a rearview mirror until he could see the faces of the cars gathered behind him. He did not turn around. "I'd like to speak to her in private," he said quietly, in a voice too small for so large a truck. Murmurs of assent met his ears as the citizens of Radiator Springs dispersed, leaving him alone. Only Doc remained.

"You all right there, Mack?" he asked, with an air of fatherly concern. Mack didn't respond. "Look, I know you feel responsible, but you really shouldn't — "

"Could you just open the door already?" Mack snapped. Doc was taken aback by this sudden outburst. Mack saw the startled look on the Hornet's face and softened. "Please," he added gently. "I - I want to talk to Vee."

Doc blinked. "Who?"

"Veronica," Mack clarified, blushing a little. "I want to see her now."

Doc gazed up at him intently. "You know this girl, don't you?"

Mack swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. It took an extra effort for him to speak. "Yeah. She's — an old friend."

That was all Doc needed to know. Without another word, he opened the clinic door. The dark green Chrysler Concorde was still on the lift, though it was lowered now. Oil and transmission fluid stained the floor around her. Her right front tire was flat and her right headlight was broken. In fact, her entire right side was a mess. Mack drew in a breath and held it, biting his lip. She appeared to be asleep. Doc drove inside and stopped beside her.

"She should still be able to drive," he said quietly, "but I wouldn't recommend anything over ten miles per hour until she gets new brake pads. Lucky for her it wasn't a head-on collision. She's going to need extensive body work, but if she goes to a certified Chrysler specialist, there's no reason she can't be fully restored. Other than that, she should be just fine."

Mack moved closer to the entrance of the clinic, stopping only when the top of his cab hit the doorframe. "Is she awake?" he asked timidly.

"She was a few minutes ago," Doc replied, touching her wrecked side gently with a front tire.

"Oh, don't wake her then," Mack said, pulling away. "I'll just come back later." A soft moan caused him to brake. He pulled forward again, watching the Chrysler's eyes flutter open. She blinked fitfully in the bright light of the clinic and moaned again, trying hard to focus on the truck's enormous silhouette filling the doorway.

Mack cleared his throat. "Uh, hey there," he managed. This seemed to waken her fully. The Chrysler's eyes shot open, staring up at Mack in what could only be described as horror. She gasped and tried to back up, but found she couldn't move.

"I had to siphon your gas before I could make any repairs," Doc explained. "Standard procedure."

Mack was pretty sure it _wasn't_ standard procedure, but he didn't argue. "Hey Vee," he tried again. "Remember me?"

This seemed to frighten her even more. She was visibly trembling. Doc tried to soothe her. "Now, now, it's all right, Miss. Mack here just wants to apologize for the accident." She looked at the doctor doubtfully. "Really, now. He's not going to hurt you — "

"That's all right, Doc," Mack said heavily. He was used to this kind of reaction. Well, maybe not one this severe, but he really couldn't blame her. She was a wreck now because of him.

"Listen Vee, I — " but he did not know how to continue. He didn't need to, though.

"Mm – Mack?" the Chrysler croaked. Her voice was hoarse, but he recognized it immediately. His heart lifted.

"Yeah, that's right," he replied, smiling for the first time since the crash. "You — you remember me?"

"Of course I remember you!" she said, rising unsteadily on her axles and managing a smile of her own. "You're too damn big to forget!" Her voice, though faint at first, was quickly gaining strength. "Fancy running into you way out here!"

"Yeah, and literally at that," Mack responded, chuckling. At Vee's puzzled look he explained, "I'm the guy you crashed into earlier." Her eyes widened at this revelation, though she still looked confused. "Doc said you might not remember the accident," he added. "It was my fault. I'm really sorry about that, Vee, but I thought you were going to stop when I pulled out in front of you. I had no idea your brakes were shot."

It took her a long moment to respond. "Oh, that. Well, you couldn't possibly have known that, now could you?"

"No, I guess not."

"Hell, _I_ didn't even know about it! Not til the good doctor here told me." She nodded at Doc. "I mean, I knew my brake pads were on their way out, but…"

"You burnt them out when you tried to stop," Doc offered. "Sheriff said you were doing a hundred and sixty. You can't possibly brake at that speed without burning out your pads. Now, I can order you some replacements, but it'll take about a week to get them. In the meantime, it's best you do as little driving as possible. If you must, be sure to keep it under ten miles per hour so you don't have another wreck. All right?"

Vee nodded.

"By the way, do you have an emergency contact?" Doc asked. "Anyone who should be alerted as to your whereabouts?"

At this, Vee's eyes widened, giving her a panicked look, but she regained her composure and shook her head. "No. No one." Mack looked at her curiously. She looked up at him again and frowned. "Did I do that to you?" she asked, staring at his front fender.

"What? You mean these tiny little scratches?" Mack replied, forcing a smile. "Ah, don't worry! These are nothing compared to…to… what could have happened if I'd been hit by another big rig!" he fumbled but caught himself in time. Having nearly made the comparison to Vee's damages, he felt the guilt return to weigh on him full-scale.

"I'm really sorry about all this, Vee. I don't know what possessed me to pull out in front of you like that. It was a very stupid thing to do."

Vee waved it off. "It's not like you knew who you were cutting off, Mack. Besides, if you were doing what I assume you were doing and just trying to curb a speeder, then you did a good thing."

Mack sighed and shook his head. "Damn it, Vee, you're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, _I_ was the reckless one in this case, not you. Yet there you go making yourself out to be the guilty one."

"And she _is_!" said a gruff voice from behind. Mack checked his mirror and saw Sheriff pulling up beside him.

"Hey, do you mind?" he growled.

"As a matter of fact, I do." The squad car moved forward, but stopped at the threshold when Doc cut him off.

"This is a private conversation, Sheriff. You've got no right or reason to barge in and harass my patient!"

"Tractor spit!" Sheriff retorted. "This girl is dangerous, and it's my job to protect the community from road hazards like her!"

"Hey, this 'road hazard' happens to be an old friend of mine!" Mack spoke up. "And I know for a fact that she is _not_ dangerous!"

"Mack— " Vee started, but she was cut off by Doc.

"What in Ford's name are you on about, Sheriff? Speeding may be dangerous, but that doesn't make this young woman a threat to our community."

"Oh yeah? Well, I just ran her plate number and it came back with a long list of offenses! Speeding was only a minor infraction compared to the rest of them! There's also littering, vandalism, breaking and entering, burglary, possession of illegal substances, possession of stolen property, reckless driving, driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving without a license, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, disrespecting an officer, diso_beying_ an officer, and _assaulting_ an officer!" The squad car rolled into the clinic, narrowing his eyes accusingly at Vee. "Did I leave anything out?"

Vee stared back at him. She opened her mouth to reply, but gave up, dropping her eyes to the floor. Mack stared at his friend, speechless.

Sheriff's grille twitched in a righteous smirk. "I thought not. You're in a heap of trouble, girl."


	5. Under the Hood

CHAPTER FIVE:  
UNDER THE HOOD

Sheriff glared hard at the wrecked Chrysler, basking in her guilty silence.

"That's it, Sheriff!" Doc exploded. "I want you out of my clinic this instant!"

"But Doc, I — "

"You've harassed my patients for the last time! I don't want to see you in here again without an appointment! Now GO!"

Sheriff backed out of the clinic and turned to go, but Vee chose that moment to speak up.

"Wait!" she cried, trying to move forward despite her blown tire and empty tank.

All three men, including Sheriff, turned to face her. She shrank visibly under their combined gazes, but continued to speak.

"It's true," she murmured. "I'm guilty of all those things, and I deserve to be punished for them."

Mack gaped at her in alarm. "Vee, _no_!"

Vee forced herself to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, Mack, but I'm no longer the car you used to know."

"I don't believe that for a second!" Mack argued. Sheriff approached the clinic again, but Mack saw him in his rearview and turned to him with a deadly look. "If you think you're going to arrest her, you're going to have to go through _me_ first!" the semi said in a low growl that sent shivers through Sheriff's chassis.

"Mack, don't!" Vee pleaded, struggling to move. "I don't want you getting in trouble too!"

Mack looked down at her then, and suddenly he noticed something he hadn't before.

"Hey, wait a minute," he said, squinting his eyes and lowering himself for a closer look. "That's not your license plate number! That's not even the correct designation for your class of vehicle!" He turned to look at Sheriff. "It's a commercial truck plate! You ran the wrong number!"

Doc pulled forward to inspect the plate for himself. "He's right, Sheriff. That _is_ a commercial plate. I'm surprised you didn't catch that when you were running it in!"

Sheriff blushed and backed away. "Well, I was in a hurry… right in the middle of the pursuit when I called it in. I didn't even get the results back until just a few minutes ago. Dang scanner's been acting up again."

"Ha!" Mack laughed. "I knew it! I knew Vee didn't do any of those things!"

Here Sheriff returned to cop mode. "But I _did_ catch her speeding! The whole town can vouch for that! Not to mention she's in possession of stolen plates!"

Mack couldn't argue with that. He looked at her questioningly. Before Vee could offer an explanation, Sheriff spoke up again.

"Since those plates obviously aren't yours, I'm going to need your vehicle identification number."

Vee nodded. "7875 — "

"Stop right there," Sheriff commanded. "You come speeding through town with stolen plates, and you expect me to take your word for it that the number you're giving me is correct? I don't think so!" He drove up to her until they were face to face. "I want to see your VIN number for myself! Now open up!"

Mack gaped at him in disbelief. "Sheriff! Need I remind you this is a _woman_ you're talking to?"

"Well fine, I'll get to you in a moment, _Ma'am!_ But first I want this Chrysler's VIN number!"

Mack growled. "You know, most guys would be offended by that kind of remark, but you're not exactly making me proud to be a guy right now, so I'll ignore it."

"If you need that number so bad," said Doc, "might I suggest getting Sally or Flo to check it for you?"

"Forget it, Doc," Vee cut in. "If he wants his precious VIN number, he can have it. Here!" she said, popping her hood. "Come and get it!"

All three men gasped as she exposed herself. Sheriff stared while Doc and Mack averted their eyes. Vee snorted. "Oh wow. Six cylinders. Never seen that many before!" she mumbled. Several seconds passed with Sheriff still staring stupidly. "Hey Copper, this isn't a peep show!" Vee growled impatiently. "Now are you going to take that number down or are you just going to stand there trying to memorize it?"

The squad car broke out of his daze and started to radio in the number. "That's 7875944 — dagnab it! Lost the frequency again! I'll have to phone it in later. Doc, you got something to take this down with?" And he repeated the number to Doc.

"Got it," the Hudson replied. "You can close it now," he said to Vee.

Mack didn't look at her until he heard her hood bang shut. She smiled impishly at him. "You'd think you'd never seen under a girl's hood before!" she purred. Mack, Doc and Sheriff each tried their hardest not to blush at this. Vee rolled her eyes. "Psssh. Men."

"So, uh, what happened to your real plates?" Mack asked her.

Vee shrugged. "Eh, who knows. Guess I got 'em mixed up with someone else's plates."

Sheriff frowned at her. "Now how in Ford's name did you do a thing like that?" he demanded, clearly not believing her.

"Must've happened the other night back in Phoenix," she replied casually. "You know, it's not easy to see whose plates you're putting back on in a dark alley while some cop's shining his damn light in your eyes."

Mack blushed even redder, if it were possible.

"Well then, why did you confess to those things if you're innocent?" Doc inquired. It took Vee a moment to think up an answer.

"I dunno. I guess I just like messing with cops' heads. Is _that_ a crime now?"

Sheriff snorted. "Lying to a police officer and falsifying your identity? Hell no! In this neck of the woods it's just an icebreaker! Like me writing you a ticket or two dozen."

Vee smirked. "While you're at it, don't forget to write yourself one for exceeding the sarcasm limit."

Sheriff glared at her. "Are you sassing me, girl?"

Vee cocked an eyebrow. "_Girl? _Excuse me, but where is this _girl _you keep talking about? Hey Mack, do _you_ see any girls around here?"

Mack grinned. "Nope. Nobody here but us four guys."

Sheriff turned to glare at the truck. "Don't you encourage her or I'll have you down for aiding and abetting!"

"Aw, come on, Sheriff!" Mack replied. "She doesn't mean anything by it. She treats everyone like that. Isn't that right, Vee?"

Vee smiled and nodded. "Damn straight, Gas Can!"

Doc looked at Mack curiously. "Gas Can?"

"That was my nickname in high school," Mack explained with a blush.

"He always told everyone that was his middle name because he was too embarrassed to say what his _real_ middle name was," Vee added.

"And what might that be?" asked Doc.

Mack paled, then gave the Chrysler a warning look. "Vee, don't you dare…!"

"It's Gaspar," Vee said, ignoring him.

Mack sighed. "Thanks a lot." He looked at Doc. "Vee was the only one I ever told, but she oh-so-mercifully changed it to Gas Can. Once that got around, the other big rigs wouldn't let me live it down. I think I would've been better off with Gaspar."

Doc and Vee both chuckled at this.

"You still haven't explained why you were speeding," Sheriff spoke up. "Not that it'll do you any good."

"Honestly? I can't remember why, but I'm sure I had a good reason."

Sheriff's look of disbelief reinforced her argument. "I'm telling you the truth," she said firmly. "My driving record is spotless and I intend to keep it that way. I need it to qualify for next season's Piston Cup series."

Doc glared hard at her. "So, you're a racecar, huh?"

Vee blushed. "Well, not yet, but I think with a little more practice I can — "

"Forget it, kid. You don't want to put yourself out for a lousy brass cup."

"And why not? It beats the hell outta putting myself out for my next meal."

"What do you mean?"

Vee blushed even darker and looked away. "Nothing. I just meant that with one decent sponsor I'd be a lot better off than I am now. Especially now. I can't begin to pay you for fixing me. And I don't even know where I'm gonna get the money for my next gallon of gas, let alone — "

"Forget about it," Doc replied. "It's all on the house. You just relax and concentrate on healing for the next few days and then you'll be on your way."

"On my way where?"

"Why, on your way home, I expect."

"Oh. Yeah. Home. Of course." There was a distant, almost pained look in Vee's eyes as she spoke, that went unnoticed by all except Mack. Before he could speak, Sheriff butted in with another gripe.

"Does 'a hundred miles over the speed limit' mean _anything_ to you, Doc? Or am I the only one around here who gives a tractor's ass?"

"Of course I care," Doc argued. "I'd also appreciate it if you'd watch your language when there's a lady present."

Vee snorted. "Well, if there _was_ a lady present, I doubt Officer Studly here would know what to do with her."

Mack snickered as Sheriff turned red. "That tears it! I don't care what the _'judge' _says," he flashed Doc an unflattering look, "you're going to the impound lot!"

"Lay one tread on her and you'll be on the lift for a week!" Doc warned him. "Now for the last time, quit harassing my patient and get out of my clinic!"

"Fine! I'll go," Sheriff retorted, "I need to go make my rounds anyway." He turned to Vee. "I'll be checking that VIN number, _girl_, and then I'll be back for _you_."

Vee stared back at him for a long moment. "Oh, are you finished?" she asked. "Because I thought I heard a threat coming. No? Okay, I guess not. Now run along and do those rounds of yours like a good copper. Go forth and fight your ongoing battle against speeders and stop runners and all who fail to signal!"

Mack laughed out loud at this. Even Doc was chuckling. Sheriff, on the other hand, was positively fuming. He turned abruptly and burst out of the clinic, ranting to himself about "dagummed, snot-nosed, city-slickin' speeders."

"You've still got it, Vee!" Mack said, giving her an approving smile. "You always knew just what to say to guys like that. In fact, I still remember word for word what you said when I asked you to the prom."

"Oh yeah!" Vee chuckled. "I remember that too!"

"What did you say?" Doc asked her.

"Oh, I just told him I had to think about it, that five other guys had already asked me out, and it was either I take all five of _them_, or just take Mack. And since one big rig equals five cars, I told Mack I'd go with _him_, as long as he gave me five corsages to make up for having to reject the other guys."

"And?"

"And he showed up at my door on prom night with _ten_ corsages!" Vee giggled. "All different colors. He said he was twice the vehicle any of those other guys were, so that's why he had to give me ten corsages!"

All three vehicles shared a good laugh.

"And you just _had_ to wear all of them!" Mack teased. "Boy, did you stick out like a busted headlight that night!"

"We both did!" Vee giggled, turning to Doc. "He was the only big rig at the prom, so naturally everyone had their eye on him."

"Yeah, to make sure I didn't run over anyone!" Mack added. "Seriously, they were staring at _you_!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Were too! I mean, come on! A pretty little Chrysler rolls in, covered from bumper to bumper in roses and carnations and orchids, every color in the rainbow, and you think they're looking at _me_?"

Vee laughed. "Okay, you got me! And here I thought all the other girls were glaring at me enviously because I had such a handsome date!"

"Hm, well I hadn't thought about that before," Mack replied with a suave smile. "But of course it does make perfect sense!"

Vee laughed. Doc chuckled quietly, looking back and forth at the two friends as they exchanged a fond look.

"So I take it the two of you were an item?" he asked. The smile died on Mack's face at this unexpected question. He glanced nervously at Vee before answering.

"I wouldn't exactly say _item_," he mumbled. "More like _two_ items who hung out together while at the same time remaining two separate and distinct items." Doc cocked an eyebrow at him and he blushed. One look at Vee and he burned even redder. "We were just friends!" he blurted out, hoping that would put an end to the topic.

Vee laughed out loud. "Oh Mack, you never were very good at lying. We were more than 'just friends,'" she purred. "We were _best_ friends."

Mack couldn't help but grin. "And we still are. Right?"

Vee grinned back. "Damn straight!"


	6. A Doctor's Oath

__

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I was in Las Vegas for three days and just got back last night. I was going to update as soon as I got home, but I was dead tired from the four hour ride and I went straight to bed. Anyway, please R&R!

CHAPTER SIX:  
A DOCTOR'S OATH

The first rays of dawn drifted through the open door of Doc's clinic, falling gently across the hood of the green Chrysler sleeping inside. At 7:00 a.m. sharp Vee was blasted awake by the sound of a trumpet playing. Before she even realized where she was, an electric-guitar rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" screeched in ear-splitting defiance against "Reveille."

"Fillmore!" a man yelled from somewhere nearby. "Shut that disrespectful junk off this instant!"

"Respect the classics, man!" answered another man. "Hendrix rules!"

"He's also dead, which is what you're going to be if you don't turn that damn music off right now!"

"What the hell?" Vee murmured, yawning.

"Good morning," Doc said cheerfully, startling his patient. "Sleeping in is a rare luxury in this town," he explained. "Guess I should have shut the door when I came in. Sorry about that." He moved to close it, but Vee held up her blown tire and told him not to bother.

"The fresh air feels good," she said. Nearby, the music and the argument continued loudly.

"You can't silence the music, man!"

"Wanna bet?"

Vee strained to look out the door for the source of the commotion, but she was unable to move since her gas had been siphoned the day before. "What's going on out there?" she asked Doc, who was at his desk going over her charts.

"Oh, that's just Radiator Springs' wake-up call. Don't worry, they'll shut each other up in a minute or so."

As he said this, the sound of the trumpet faded away, leaving "The Star-Spangled Banner" to haunt the early morning airwaves.

"Freedom of expression, man!"

"Don't make me come over there!"

The bickering continued for another minute until it finally faded away with the music. Vee gazed out the clinic door at the empty stretch of road outside. Doc sat quietly at his desk, finishing up his paperwork. All was silent except for the soft rustling of papers and the tick of a clock on the wall. Vee gradually turned her eyes toward Doc.

"Doctor Hudson?"

"Yes?" Doc said without looking up from his papers.

Vee hesitated, biting her lip. "I know who you really are," she said.

This time Doc turned to look at her. "Oh? And who am I?" he demanded, fixing her with a rather stern gaze, as if daring her to answer.

"You're the Fabulous Hudson Hornet," Vee replied confidently.

Doc stared at her, eyes narrowed, for several seconds. "Congratulations," he said at last, with a hint of a smile. "You catch on pretty quick. You know, it took McQueen almost a whole week to figure that out."

"McQueen? You mean Lightning McQueen?"

"That's right. He lives here too. And now you've come along… seems this town has some kind of magnetic attraction for racecars."

"When can I see it?" Vee asked.

"See what?"

"The town. I'm restless. I need to get out of this clinic and stretch my axles a bit, and I think a tour of the town would do nicely."

Doc smiled. "Well, I'm sure something can be arranged. I'd show you around myself, but I've got a couple of appointments this morning."

"Can't I go out by myself?"

"I'd really rather you didn't," Doc replied. "In fact, you shouldn't be driving at all until you get your brake pads replaced." He turned back to his desk. "That reminds me… I'd better order them now so we'll get them as soon as possible." A few minutes passed with Doc on the phone. When he hung up, he was smiling.

"Good news! With rush delivery you'll have your new brake pads here by Friday morning!"

Vee tried thank him, but the words just wouldn't come out. Instead, she sighed heavily and looked at the floor. Doc's smile faded.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy about that."

Vee wouldn't look at him. "I know, but… I can't pay for them. I can't pay for any of this, and my insurance won't cover a thing because the accident was my fault." She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her hood. "You may as well call them back up and cancel the order."

Doc regarded her sadly, then suddenly grew stern. "I believe I told you last night that it's all on the house. That you don't have to worry about money for as long as you're here. You must have had a worse crash than I thought if you don't remember me saying that."

"I remember clearly," Vee said, forcing herself to make eye-contact with the Hornet. "I just can't allow it."

"And why not?"

"Because I… I just can't, that's all. It isn't right."

"I'll tell you what isn't right," Doc said sternly. "If a car wrecked in this town and I refused to fix her because she can't pay! Or if I allowed a car to drive out of my office without brakes because she won't let me pay for her brake pads!"

A tense silence followed, during which Vee looked at the floor again. She didn't argue.

Doc rolled up to her. "Now, are you going to let me help you, or do I have to throw you in the impound lot?"

Vee shrugged. "You might as well throw me in impound," she mumbled, "because that's where I really should be right now."

"That was a trick question," Doc replied. "I'm not impounding you, but I can't force my help on you if you don't want it." He moved closer and touched her good tire with one of his own. "I'm asking you nicely — just let me help you. For my sake, if not your own. If I don't do what I believe is right by helping a car in need, I'll be breaking my Hippocratic oath. Please don't make me do that."

Touched by his words, Vee slowly brought herself to meet the doctor's eyes. She stared into them for a moment before the sting of tears in her own eyes forced her to blink. She looked away quickly then, hoping he hadn't noticed.

"All right," she whispered. "I give up. You can help me."

"Atta girl," Doc said, smiling. Vee was still staring sadly at the ground. "Well, don't look so down about it!" he chided her. "If you're really that uncomfortable with charity, don't worry. You won't have to put up with it for very long. Just as soon as your brake pads come in… why, you could be out of here as early as Friday afternoon!"

"Wait… what's today then?"

"Today's Tuesday," Doc replied, relieved to see her perking up. "Just think: in three days you'll be free from me and my terrible kindness!"

Vee looked at him in alarm. "Oh, I didn't mean to seem so ungrateful!" she exclaimed. "Really, I didn't! It's just that I… I guess I just have a really hard time accepting charity," she finished meekly. "It's… sort of how I was raised. I never meant to offend you, Doctor Hudson. Please forgive me." The tone of her voice and the pleading look she gave him melted his heart. He touched her tire again.

"Forget about it," he said, locking eyes with her for a moment before backing away to his desk. Vee sighed. The clinic fell silent again as Doc returned to his paperwork. Five whole minutes passed by before the sound of a diesel engine outside alerted them to a visitor. The two cars looked out the open door to see Mack pulling up to the clinic.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" the truck said cheerfully, smiling at Vee. "Morning, Doc!" he greeted the Hudson, then took a deep breath of fresh morning air. "Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Vee groaned, rolling her eyes. "How can you be so damn cheerful at this Dodge-forsaken hour?"

"It's easy when you've got something good to wake up to!" Mack replied.

"You _can't_ mean the two disciples of Satan down the street with their blaring music and their arguing."

"You mean Sarge and Fillmore? Eh, you get used to it. I was talking about _you_!"

"Oh," Vee blushed. Mack blushed a little too.

"So, how're you feeling this morning?"

"Better than I look, I'm sure," Vee replied. "In fact, I was telling Doc here that I'd like to get out of this clinic and see the town."

Mack looked at Doc. "And he's not letting you go because — ?"

"I didn't say she couldn't go," Doc replied. "I just said it would be best for her to wait until her brakes were fixed."

"Well, what if I take her?" Mack asked. Vee smiled appreciatively at him.

"Sure, that'll work," Doc answered. "Just as long as you stay with her at all times and make sure she drives very slowly." He turned to Vee. "I don't want you going off by yourself or exceeding ten miles per hour, is that clear?"

Vee smirked. "Yes, Daddy."

Doc returned her siphoned gas and replaced her blown tire with the spare she carried in her trunk. Vee could hardly wait to get out of the clinic. Doc had barely finished putting the spare on when she bolted forward excitedly, forgetting her spent brakes, and bumped right into Mack. Finding herself nose to nose with him she blushed and backed away quickly, this time colliding with Doc.

"Easy there, Hotrod!" Doc scolded. "You've got to be exceptionally careful now that you don't have any brakes." He gave her a stern look. "Now, I'm letting you go against my better judgment, but I'm trusting Mack to make sure you don't have another accident. If anyone can stop a speeder, it's him." He gave Mack a well-meaning smile.

"Come on, Vee," Mack said, nudging her with a tire. "You're going to love Radiator Springs!"

Vee grinned and was about to start forward again when she remembered something. She turned back to Doc and touched him with her spare. She looked deep into his eyes for a moment before leaning forward and kissing him lightly on the bumper. The Hudson stared at her in surprise.

"Thanks, Doc," she said, with a smile that spoke volumes. "For everything."

Doc smiled back. "Thank _you_," he replied, "for allowing me to help."


	7. Tour of the Town

A/N: Yay, more Mackness! This is gonna be one of those chapters that doesn't really go anywhere, but I had fun writing it and I hope you have fun reading it regardless. Watch out for the innuendos! Those things are worse than tire spikes! Oh, and please R&R!

P.S.: You may have noticed I've gone back and added chapter titles. I spent a long time deciding whether or not to have chapter titles in this story, but in the end my obsession with naming every little thing under the sun got the best of me. XP

CHAPTER SEVEN:  
TOUR OF THE TOWN

Vee turned away from the Hornet and parked beside Mack. Doc nodded to the two of them and went back inside the clinic. When he was gone, Mack looked down at Vee curiously.

"What was that about?" he asked her as the two started driving.

Vee shrugged. "He's a good man, Doc Hudson," she replied. "He's going so far out of his way to help me, and I can't even begin to thank him properly."

"Well, I think that kiss was a good start," Mack mumbled. "I'd like to see what else you have in store for him."

Vee caught the jest in his words and smirked. "Jealous much?"

"Eh, you wish!" Mack retorted. "Incidentally, what's your payback policy if someone were to — oh I don't know — give you a free tour of the town?" He gave her a hopeful look.

Vee pretended to think about it. "Well, if the town's only — what? — three blocks wide, and the tour is free — I may recommend the tour guide to the next car that passes through. But only if he does a good job."

Mack frowned. "What? Not even a tip?"

Vee chuckled. "Sure! Here's a tip: watch out, you're about to run a red light!"

Mack looked ahead just in time to see the light and brake. Vee rolled past him, unable to stop. Mack put a tire out and caught her before she entered the intersection.

"Thanks," she mumbled, blushing.

"Don't mention it," he replied, holding onto her back bumper. They waited for the light to change. After about fifteen seconds it turned green. Vee started forward, but could not move an inch because Mack's tire was still on her bumper.

"You can let go now," she said sweetly, batting her eyes at him. Mack didn't look at her. He was staring straight ahead, his mouth set in a thin line as he restrained a grin.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," he said flatly. "I've got strict orders from Doc not to let you out of my sight."

"Yeah, so— ?"

"So, I can't let you go anywhere without me."

"Well, let's _go_ then! You're supposed to be showing me the town, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but… I changed my mind."

Vee growled at him. "Excuse me?"

Mack feigned indignation. "Sorry lady, but I ain't no tour guide! I'm a hauler! I haul for a living! And when I'm not hauling, I'm taking a break!"

"So?"

"So, look behind me! Do you see a trailer on my back?"

"No."

"Right! That means I'm not hauling right now! And if I'm not hauling, what am I doing?"

Vee smirked. "Taking a break?"

Mack nodded. "Exactly!"

"Oh, for the love of Peterbilt!" Vee growled. "Then what the hell did you drag me out here for?"

Mack's face fell and he let go of her finally. "I just wanted to hang out with my best friend is all," he mumbled, looking dejectedly at the ground. "Is that so much to ask?"

Vee gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Of course not," she said. "But if this is the way you're going to act, then you can say goodbye to that good tour guide recommendation!"

Mack hid a smile. "I told you before, lady: I ain't no tour guide! I'm a hauler! That means I haul for a living! Haul! Haul! Haul! Haul! Haul! H-A-U-L! HAUL! You got that?"

Vee couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. "I know men only have one thing on their minds most of the time," she said, "but I had no idea that one thing could be _hauling_!"

Mack laughed too. "Well, when you spend as much time hauling as I do, it's bound to take its toll on your thought process." They were still laughing as they started across the intersection. "Of course, that doesn't mean I don't switch gears when the situation calls for something _other_ than hauling." He put a suggestive emphasis on the word _other _that made Vee snicker.

"Naturally," she said. "But it must be quite limiting as a guy to only have two gears: hauling and — " Vee snapped her mouth shut the instant she spotted Sheriff. The squad car was coming up the street toward them. He braked level with Vee and narrowed his eyes at her. She returned his glare with an innocent look. Neither one spoke.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Mack asked him. Sheriff never broke eye-contact with Vee as he replied, "No problem at all." He drove around her slowly, watching her closely until he was past her. "As you were," he grumbled, continuing down the road.

Vee shook her hood and started forward. "With a cop like him around, I feel like I'm in L.A. again."

Mack rolled after her. "Now what was that you were saying a moment ago? About my having only two gears?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

"What were you going to say?"

"Nothing!"

Mack smirked. "If you were gonna say what I think you were gonna say, then I've got news for you! Mack Trucker is _not_ that shallow! I'm a very complex vehicle, you know, with layers and layers of… complexness."

Vee snorted. "Complexness, huh? Is that even a word?"

"It is now. And I've got even more news for you, missy! I resent the implication that I'm dull! I'll have you know I'm capable of thinking very complicated thoughts! Thoughts you couldn't even begin to comprehend!"

Vee chuckled. "Somehow I don't think the things _you_ have to think about are all that complicated."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! Seriously, you don't even have to _think_ about what you do. Your body does all the work, not your brain."

"And what exactly are you referring to?"

"What do you think? Hauling and…"

"Okay, I've heard enough!" Mack said loudly, picking up speed. A few seconds later he stopped, several yards ahead of her, and looked back. "Well, do you wanna see the town or don't you?"

Vee grinned and took off after him. Mack grinned back as she caught up.

"Over here we have Flo's Café," he said, rolling along beside her, "and over there is the Cozy Cone Motel, and next to that we have the…" the rest of his words faded away as he picked up speed, driving ahead of his friend. Vee was tempted to accelerate and catch up with him, but thought better of it. She decided to wait for him to realize his mistake.

"…best organic fuel you'll ever taste, but I'd advise you not to ask what he puts in it," Mack prattled on, oblivious to the fact that Vee was now half a block behind him. "Next door to that is Sarge's Surplus Hut, where you'll find — "

From the porch of her souvenir stand, Lizzie watched the truck curiously. She leaned over and muttered to Red, who was watering her flowers, "Looks like Big Al's finally blown a gasket! You'd better get over there and hose him down before he hurts himself." The fire truck looked at her uncertainly. "Well, go on! Remember what he did to your begonias the last time he started talking to himself?"

Red's eyes widened and he hurried over to where Mack was headed, dangerously close to the fire station and his beloved flowers. He zoomed right up behind the big rig and blared his horn. Mack spun around and before he could even open his mouth the fire truck soaked him with his hose.

Mack spluttered and cursed until the water assault ceased. "Holy Honda is that water cold! Red, what in Ford's name do you think you're doing?" Red backed away guiltily.

Lizzie cackled from her porch. "That's showing him, Red! Crazy big rigs driving around talking to themselves like they own the place. You behave yourself, Big Al! You hear me?"

Mack glared at the elderly car. "For the last time, my name is Mack, not Big Al," he growled at her. "And I'm not talking to myself! I'm talking to my friend here…" he nodded toward his right side and noticed for the first time that Vee was not there. Hearing a familiar giggle some distance behind him, he turned to see her sitting in the middle of the road, nearly a block away. Blushing horribly, he drove back to her.

"And I suppose _that _was a healthy dose of your famous Radiator Springs hospitality?" she said, grinning hard as she stifled a laugh. Mack smirked at her.

"You know, you look like you could use a little roadside assistance," he said, and without hesitation he drove behind her and started pushing her forward. "Hey Red, I've got a dirty little Chrysler here who could use a good wash! Whadda ya say?" he called out as he rolled her toward the fire truck.

"Mack! NO!" Vee shrieked, struggling to stop with her non-existent brakes. She tried to drive off in a different direction, but Mack caught her and steered her back toward Red.

"Where do you think you're going?" he growled, laughing as she fought back. She tried reversing against him but this only made him laugh louder, and before she knew it, Vee was laughing too. The two vehicles collapsed in the street, gasping and guffawing.

"You big _dipstick_!" Vee chuckled, smacking Mack across the nose with a tire.

"Ow! Watch it with that spare!" Mack whined. "Those things are solid rubber, you know!"

Parked beside the Stanley statue, Red watched the entire show wide-eyed in confusion and horror.

"Well that's what you get for trying to give me a cold shower!" the Chrysler said righteously. "And _this_ is what you get for pushing a helpless car around!" and she smacked him with her other front tire, a slightly softer blow as it was inflated.

Mack backed away from her this time, looking cross-eyed down at his poor nose. "Helpless?" he snorted. "You're beating ME up!"

"Oh, take it like a truck, you big baby."

Vee gave him a superior smirk, then noticed the fire truck staring at her in awe. She raised her spare tire. "You want some of this, too?" she shouted at him, shaking her spare threateningly. Red's eyes widened in panic and he backed quickly into the fire station, the door banging shut after him. He popped out a second later to grab the flower pot beside the statue and pulled it into the building with him. The door slammed again.

Mack and Vee both laughed. "Pretty timid for a big guy," Vee said, looking at the fire station.

"Who, Red? He's always like that, and I don't blame him. You _are_ pretty scary, you know," Mack teased.

Vee smiled smugly. "I try." Mack smiled back, and a short silence followed in which both vehicles regarded each other. After a moment Mack blushed and turned away.

"Well, come on then. There's lots more to see!" he said, driving slower this time. Vee rolled along beside him, taking in the town. When they were done, they found themselves in front of Flo's V8 Café once again, where Vee caught herself staring hungrily at the pumps. Mack saw where her eyes were trained and smiled.

"You look famished. Care to join me for a fill-up?"

Vee's nearly empty tank rumbled at the suggestion. She _was_ famished. Down to her last gallon, her last fill-up had been three days ago. She looked up at Mack sadly.

"I'd love to, but… I'm afraid I don't have any money."

Mack frowned at her as if she'd insulted him. "Now what kind of truck would I be if I invited a lady out for a drink and then expected her to pay for it?" he demanded hotly.

"Well I can't expect _you_ to pay for it," Vee replied.

"Oh yes you can!"

"Well that's very sweet of you, but I — "

"But nothing," Mack said firmly. "I _insist_."

"Insist all you want. That doesn't mean I have to take you up on that offer."

"Well I'm not going to allow you to starve yourself. I'll hold you down and force-feed you if I have to!"

Vee chuckled, then sighed in defeat. "Well okay. If you _insist_." She turned toward the café. "Forgive me, but I'm just not used to having someone pay my way for me."

Mack looked at her in disbelief. "A pretty thing like you? Any guy lucky enough to go out with you ought to at least pick up the tab!"

Vee blushed red. "You don't mean that."

"Of course I do!" Mack replied, blushing himself. "Now get your bumper over there and start filling up before I _push_ you over there and cram a nozzle down your throat!"

Vee laughed. "Such a gentleman!" she purred, driving into the parking lot.

A/N: Awwww! Don't Mack and Vee make a cute couple already? And they don't even know it yet (mwa-ha-ha-ha!). Sigh… I wish I'd had a friend like Mack in high school. He's too much fun. Twilit Violet needs some more encouragement to keep this story rolling (hint,hint)! Reviews and a shrimp cocktail please! More to come soon!


	8. Coffee, Tia or Mia?

A/N: Here we go with the longest chapter so far! Caution: catfight and mild language ahead! I had a lot of fun (and an ulterior motive) writing this chapter, and I hope it is to your liking. Wait, do cars drink coffee? Ummm… they do now! Please R&R!

Dreamer: Your suggestion of writing a chapter about Mack and Vee's prom night will definitely be considered. I'll write it if and when the right inspiration strikes me. If you or anyone else has any further suggestions, please feel free to submit them, and I will make sure to give credit to anyone whose ideas are used in my fic. 

CHAPTER EIGHT:  
COFFEE, TIA OR MIA?

Mack parked in his usual spot near the end pump, as he was too tall to fit under the awning. Vee parked next to him beneath it. Aside from them, the lot was completely empty.

"Are they even open this early?" asked Vee.

"Of course!" Mack replied. "We just happened to beat the breakfast crowd. In about ten minutes this place will be packed!"

"Guess we'd better hurry up and order before they get too busy, then."

"Yeah." Mack scanned the lot for any sign of Flo or the waitresses. As early as it was, he knew Flo would be inside getting ready for the day's business. Mia and Tia had to be somewhere nearby, unless they were late again. It was a widely known fact that they were not morning cars.

Mack looked down at Vee. "You used to be purple," he said suddenly, the words coming out before he even had the chance to think them.

"Blue violet, actually," Vee replied, meeting his gaze.

"Yeah, and it was the perfect compliment to your eyes," Mack went on. "The same beautiful color, only lighter." His gray-green eyes lingered on her own blue violet ones. Vee blushed and looked away. If she'd been looking at him, she wouldn't have failed to notice that he was blushing too. Mack fidgeted his front tires, casting about for something to say.

"So, why green?"

"Oh, well… my boss insisted on it. He said violet was out, and red wasn't an option since a lot of the other girls already had that color. So I took hunter green, because no one else wanted it."

"What kind of job was this?"

Vee hesitated, then looked away. Her answer was so quiet that Mack had to lean over to hear her. "It was… an escort service."

A thick silence followed her confession.

"Oh," was Mack's only reply. _Wow. _He hadn't expected _that_ for an answer.

"I don't do that anymore," Vee added quickly. "And I only did it because the pay was so good." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I really, really hated it, though."

Mack looked down at her sadly, but could think of nothing comforting to say. The silence settled in again, and both vehicles could feel the weight of it.

"Well, it certainly is nice to see you again," he said finally. "Green or otherwise." And it was. Vee allowed herself to smile at that.

Mack finally spotted one of the twins as she drove up to the café. He called out to her. "Hey, Sugar Lips! You've got customers!"

Vee snickered. "Sugar Lips? What is she, your girlfriend?"

"Yeah right!" Mack snorted. "She's just a piece of eye candy meant to attract tourism, specifically of the male variety."

Mia rolled up to them. She gave the Chrysler a disapproving look. Vee assumed it was because of her damaged side, but then she realized that the waitress couldn't possibly see it because she had approached her from the opposite side.

Mia turned away to address Mack. "Hey there, big boy," she purred, batting her eyes. "What can I getcha?"

Mack bit his lip to keep from smirking. "The usual, I guess." Mia stared at him blankly. Mack sighed. "Extra large coffee with cream and sugar. Same thing I have every morning."

Mia nodded. "Got it." She turned to leave.

"Hold on a sec!" Mack called her back. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Mia stared at him again, a hopeful smile forming on her lips. "You forgot to take my friend's order!" Mack said, trying to keep the annoyance from his tone.

That wiped the smile clean off Mia's face. With obvious reluctance, she turned to the green car and tacked the smile back on, forcing it to stay in place.

"What do you want?" she asked, without a trace of pleasantry in her voice. Vee stared at her a moment before answering.

"I guess I'll have a small cup of coffee while I'm filling up on regular."

"Uh-huh. Cream and sugar?"

"Neither, thanks. Cream's for wimps and sugar's for little girls!" Vee replied, casting Mack a teasing grin. Mack made a face in return.

Mia rolled her eyes. "And the gas?"

"What about it?"

"Unleaded, right?"

"Hell, no!" Vee exclaimed. "Do I look like I'm dieting?"

Mia looked her over disapprovingly. "Obviously not."

"Eh, what do _you_ know?" Mack sneered. "_I'm _the guy here, so _I'll_ be the judge! And I say Vee looks fine just the way she is!" Vee smiled appreciatively at him.

Mia rolled her eyes again. "Whatever."

"You really think I look good?" Vee asked Mack, after Mia took their orders and drove away.

Mack smiled down at her. "Are you kidding? You look just as good as you did in high school! In fact, I'd say you look even better!"

Vee chuckled. "Now I _know_ you're lying! I've put on a few hundred pounds since then. Don't tell me you can't see that!"

"Yeah, I can," Mack replied, looking her over. "But you don't hear me complaining, do you?"

"Okay. I get it. You're one of those guys who has a thing for big bumpers. Right?"

"Hey, I'm a big guy!" Mack chuckled. "So naturally, I'm attracted to big bumpers."

"Uh huh. Is _that_ why you were always following me around in high school?"

Mack blushed. "Well, actually, I was just trying to read your bumper stickers. You always had the best ones in school, and you kept changing them all the time. You never kept any of them for more than a week."

Vee snorted. "Yeah, right. You were doing a lot more than just reading my stickers! And you rear-ended me more than enough times to prove it!"

"Hey! Those were all accidents! _You're_ the one who kept braking right in front of me without warning! I think you must have _wanted_ me to run into you!"

Vee giggled. "Don't flatter yourself, honey! I had to get you to stop tailgating me somehow."

"And you think running into a hot bumper like yours would make me want to stop?"

She snickered. "Jeez Mack, you haven't changed a bit!" The two friends shared a good laugh.

Mia came back a minute later with Vee's order. Tia came with her, carrying Mack's considerably larger order. She set it down in front of him and looked at Vee.

"What happened to _you_?" the girl asked, not bothering to hide her disgust as she eyed the Chrysler's right side.

"Oh, I just ran into an old friend," Vee replied, giving Mack a smile and a nudge. The two girls looked back and forth between the Chrysler and the semi, twin smirks growing on their twin faces. Then Mia turned to Tia and whispered something that made her sister laugh.

"As if!" Tia exclaimed, shoving Mia playfully. "You are _so_ sick!"

"Oh, puh-leeze! Like you don't do that with every guy who drives through town!"

"Not with one _that_ big I don't!" The twins drove away, their girly giggles grating in Mack's ears.

"Nice girls," Vee remarked, sipping her coffee.

"Yeah," Mack muttered, watching them go. "They do a lot for tourism around here, though most of what they do I probably shouldn't mention in front of a lady."

Vee looked around. "Well, if I see a lady, I'll let you know."

Mack laughed. "You haven't changed either, Vee. I'm glad." He sighed, then looked away. "It's good to know some things haven't changed." His eyes wandered across the empty parking lot. He and Vee were the only ones at Flo's at that early hour.

A few minutes passed before one of the twins came back. She parked in front of Mack, looking nervously up at him. It was Tia.

"Everything okay here?" she asked, without looking at Vee.

"Just super, thanks," Mack replied. Tia nodded. She stood silently for a moment, fidgeting. Mack cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yes?"

"I get off at eight," she said simply.

"So?"

Tia blushed. She offered the big rig a coy smile. "Sooo… yesterday you asked me out for a drink. Remember? After I got off work." She paused for effect. "Well, I get off at eight."

"Oh." This time Mack blushed. That was certainly unexpected. He cleared his throat. "Sorry babe, but I'm… kind of busy tonight."

"Doing what?"

"Working," he said quickly. "I'm, uh, working late tonight."

Tia frowned. "But Lightning McQueen doesn't have any races to go to this week."

"I know," Mack said calmly. "I'm talking about my _other_ job."

"What other job?"

Mack sighed, exasperated. "I'm moonlighting as a… scrap hauler. Yeah. Scrap hauler."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Tia said with a blush. "Well, I'm usually up late so… maybe when you get back…?"

"Sorry toots, but you obviously don't know much about hauling. I'm telling you right now, it's no joyride! I usually drop dead from exhaustion by the time I get where I'm going. Sometimes even _before_ I get there! How do you think McQueen ended up in this town?"

Tia gave up. "All right then," she sighed sadly. "When you have some free time, you know where to find me." And she drove back to the café.

Vee watched the Miata leave, then turned to Mack with a frown. "You're not really doing _anything_ tonight, are you?"

"Not a thing," Mack replied, taking a long drink and looking rather smug about it.

"Then why did you lie like that?"

"Because."

"That's not a reason. You know, if you don't want to go out with someone, you should just say so."

"Yeah well — tell _her_ that, not me."

"Why?"

"Because when I asked her out yesterday she said she had to work. When I suggested waiting till she got off, she just chickened out."

"Wait — you asked her out first? Why did you do that if you don't want to go out with her?"

"I dunno… I guess… a guy gets lonely sometimes," he said meekly. He blushed, giving her a shy smile. "But you know what? All of a sudden, I'm not lonely anymore."

Vee smiled back. "Well I'm glad to hear that, and you know what? Neither am I."

A few minutes passed in silence as the two vehicles stood side by side sipping their drinks and enjoying each other's company. It wasn't long before Mia rolled up to them and asked if everything was okay. Before either one of them could answer, Tia zoomed up to her sister and said loudly, "Hey, I already asked him that!"

"So what?" Mia argued. "He's MY customer, and I'll ask him anything I want! So BACK OFF!"

"No, YOU back off! He asked ME out first!" 

"Yeah right! Who would ever ask that ugly face of yours out on a date?"

"Ugly? Excuse me, but have you looked in a mirror lately? In case you haven't noticed, YOU look exactly like ME! So that makes YOU even uglier!"

"How the heck can I be uglier if we're the same? Besides, YOU'RE uglier!"

"No, _you_ are!"

"No, YOU are!"

The whole time Mack and Vee stood by, watching silently. A few cars had pulled up to Flo's and were also watching the fight with keen interest. Sarge, Fillmore, Ramone, and Red kept a safe distance from the feuding twins.

"Skank!"

"Ho!"

"Ladies! Please!" Mack said loudly, but his words were drowned out by a particularly obscene outburst from Mia. Mack blared his horn and the deafening sound made everyone around him jump. The twins looked up at him, terrified. In fact, everyone was staring at him in various degrees of shock. Mack blushed crimson. He rarely ever used his horn, and with good reason.

"Uh, how 'bout a refill?" he said quietly, pushing his mug forward. Bad idea. Both girls lunged at the mug, colliding with each other in the process.

"I've got it!"

"No, I'VE got it!"

"He's MY customer! I'VE got it!"

"Yeah, but _I_ brought him the coffee, not you!"

"Shut up!"

"Hey, don't make me use my horn again!" Mack said loudly. That shut them both up. "Now Mia, how 'bout _you _go get me _my_ refill, and Tia, _you_ go get Vee's refill. Simple enough? Or do I need to call Flo out here?"

After exchanging very nasty looks with each other, the twins took their mugs and headed into the café. Vee watched them go.

"Are they always like that?" she asked Mack.

"Only when there's a handsome man around," he replied smugly.

Vee looked around the lot, eyeing the early morning crowd. "Well, I sure as hell don't see anyone worth swooning over," she said with a smirk.

"I guess some women just don't have good taste!" Mack grumbled. Vee snickered.

A minute later the twins returned with their refills. Tia did not bother to disguise the look of pure loathing on her face as she set Vee's mug down with a clunk, spilling some coffee as she glared at her sister. Mia set Mack's much larger mug down with grace and batted her eyes at him, ignoring Tia's glare.

"Anything else I can getcha, big boy?" Mia purred, giving him a wink.

Mack was somewhere between blushing and snorting when he replied, "No thanks. I'm good."

Mia looked disappointed, but quickly covered it with a smile. "All righty, then. You just let me know if there's anything else you want, okay? Anything at all. Just call me."

Mack nodded. "I'll do that. Thanks."

Mia nodded back and turned to go, but not before clearly mouthing the words "call me" and blowing him a kiss. Tia continued to glare at her sister, but when she turned to go, she flashed Mack a hurt look before following Mia across the lot to wait on the other customers. Mack and Vee both listened as they started arguing again.

"See, I _told_ you he likes me!" Mia whispered, giggling.

_"Nuh-uh!" _Tia whispered back. "He likes _me_!"

"Yeah, only because you look like ME!"

"Then how come he asked ME out and not you?"

"Duh! Because he thought you were ME!"

"Oh shut up!"

Mack sighed and shook his hood. Those girls were strange, no question. It wasn't until he felt something touching his right hubcap that he noticed the look on his friend's face. Vee was smiling mischievously.

"You like her, don't you?" she asked, with enough confidence to say clearly that she already knew the answer to her own question.

Mack frowned. "Who?"

"Either one, but specifically the one that asked you out a few minutes ago."

Mack's hood burned. "Well, I don't _dis_like them. They're both very easy on the eyes, I'll give 'em that, but not so much on the ears."

"Still, I can't believe you'd turn down a chance to go out with one of them. Or both," Vee mused. "I thought it was every guy's dream to have _two_ girls, especially twins."

Mack blushed again. "Well I wouldn't exactly call myself 'every guy,'" he murmured. "And besides, I think _one _of those girls would be too much to handle!" Considering what he'd just said, he blushed even darker.

"I think you should go for it," Vee said simply.

Mack shook his hood. "I don't think that would be a good idea at all. Besides, I can't just go out on a date and leave you all alone! That would be rude!"

"Oh, stop making excuses! I'm sure I'll be fine on my own for a few measly hours."

"Yeah, but— "

"No buts! Just ask her already! You know you want to."

"But that's just it. I don't— "

"Mack, lemme ask you something," Vee said, cutting him off. "When's the last time you went out on a date?"

Mack blushed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"That long, huh?" Mack opened his mouth to argue but Vee held up a tire to silence him. "Lemme ask you something else: when you asked her out yesterday, and she turned you down, how did it make you feel?"

"And what does _that_ have to do with anything?"

"That bad, huh? Well, think about how _she_ must feel."

Mack thought about it. He found it hard to believe that Tia could be interested in him at all, regardless of the fact that she'd flirted with him and even asked him out. After all, she'd flirted with Sheriff every time she and her sister were caught speeding. Needless to say, the squad car never fell for it, which was just as well, because Mack had heard the unpleasant things they said about him behind his back. Heck, they'd even tried flirting with Sarge before they realized that that only got them in deeper disfavor with the jeep.

Still, Tia had seemed rather crushed after he'd turned her down. Vee was right.

_"'On the rocks' _means _'on ice,' _you nitwit!" a gruff voice yelled from across the lot, grabbing the truck's attention. It was Sarge, criticizing one of the girls.

"Why can't you be more like your sister? Tia does her job effectively, and _without_ talking back!"

"But _I'm _Tia!"

Sarge blinked. "There you go, talking back again! In the army we call that insubordination! Do you know what that means? Or are multi-syllable words beyond the range of your vocabulary?"

"Hey man, that's not cool," Fillmore said beside him. "Make love, not war."

"Cram it, hippie!"

Tia took Sarge's drink back and mumbled an apology. Mack saw her lip tremble and the gleam of a tear in her eye. For a moment Sarge looked guilty, but he got over it quickly. "Oh, for the love of — stop that blubbering this instant! You're a disgrace! If you can't learn to take a little constructive criticism now and then, maybe you oughtta just — "

"Hey, Sarge!" Mack yelled. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The jeep stopped in mid-rant and glared at him. "You mean someone like _you_?" he said with a smirk.

Mack smirked back. "Yeah. Exactly."

Sarge opened his mouth to reply but stopped when Fillmore nudged him with a tire and said, "Remember your karma, man." Sarge frowned and turned away, grumbling.

Tia was looking questioningly at Mack. The truck smiled and nodded at her. She rolled up to him. They stared at each other for a long moment until Mack felt a nudge at his side.

"Well? Ask her!" Vee hissed.

Mack burned redder than ever as he cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. "Ummm…. hey, if you're still free tonight, I — I'm free too."

Tia said nothing, only gave him a puzzled look.

Vee nudged Mack again, harder this time. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"You _do _still want to go out tonight… don't you?"

Tia's eyes lit up. "Oh! Yes! Of course! But I thought you said you had to work?"

Mack glanced at Vee before answering. "Uh, no. That was just… a mistake. I don't actually have to go to work… till tomorrow night." He heard Vee's annoyed sigh beside him but didn't care. He'd told enough of the truth for now, and besides, that work alibi might come in handy again later.

Tia was smiling from headlight to headlight. "Great!"

Mack gave her a much smaller smile in return. "So… pick you up at eight?"

"I'll be here!" she purred, and before Mack could say another word she zoomed off toward the café, humming loudly. _Why do I have the feeling tonight is going to be a very long night? _he wondered, watching her go.

* * *

_A/N: OMG! Mack and Tia? What the hell am I thinking?! Find out in Chapter Eleven! (Sorry, Nine and Ten are reserved for something else. XP) Some may think Mia and Tia are OOC in this chapter, but before you say anything, remember: they only have, like, one line each in the entire movie, so we really have NO idea what their personalities are. That made it easy to bend them to my twisted purposes. XP_

_And Vee's an escort?_ _Uh, yyeeeaahhh… believe it or not. Of course, that doesn't always mean what most people think it means. I warned you all ahead of time that this is no Disney story, despite the blatant use of Disney characters. So again, if you find yourself bothered by what I write, please keep your reviews tactful or don't review at all._

_I have my own reasons for writing this fic the way it is, and I will NOT make changes just to please an unsatisfied reader. I will be courteous enough to consider any complaints that are made in a polite manner, and only if it will not interfere with my storyline. I apologize for the constant warnings, but I have a weak heart when it comes to rude reviews, and I don't want to have someone jump up and tell me I didn't give them ample warning about the content of my story. I've dealt with that enough in the past. Okay, I'll shut up and post this now._


	9. Major Annoyance

CHAPTER NINE:  
MAJOR ANNOYANCE

"YOU!" a man shouted, startling both Mack and Vee. Sarge drove up to them, his eyes narrowed accusingly at Vee.

"Speed freak! Why aren't you rusting out in the impound lot where you belong?" he demanded of her.

Mack opened his mouth to intervene, but Vee cut him off.

"Well aren't you a charmer!" she purred, batting her eyes at the jeep. "Won't you join us for a drink? You must be exhausted from having to fight your way out from under all your female admirers just to get down here!"

Sarge had no answer to that. He simply stared at her.

"What's the matter?" Vee asked him. "Think tank hit empty?"

Some snickering nearby caused the jeep to blush.

"Damn, Mack! Your girl's on fire!" Ramone teased. Now it was Mack's turn to blush.

Sarge broke out of his stupor. "Don't think that cutesy little act of yours is going to save your back bumper!" he huffed. "You won't even _have_ a back bumper to save when _I_ get through with you!"

"Hey, don't you threaten her like that!" Mack growled.

"It's not a threat, it's a promise!" Sarge replied. "She's a speeder, and she's got to face the consequences!"

"And what might that be?" Vee asked coolly.

Sarge pulled up to her until they were nearly nose to nose. "Boot camp."

Vee cocked an eyebrow. "Boot camp?"

"That's right. Twenty laps on an off-road course designed for SUVs. Think you can handle that, speeder?"

"With my eyes closed!" Vee retorted, taking a long sip from her drink.

"Vee, are you crazy?" Mack butted in. "You can't run that course without brakes! It's suicide!"

"Who said I was going to do it without brakes? Doc ordered new brake pads for me this morning and he said they'll be in by Friday. That's only three days away." She turned back to Sarge. "What's the record time for running the course?"

Sarge frowned. "All twenty laps? About thirty-eight minutes. Why?"

Vee grinned. "I'll do it in thirty-_five _minutes!"

"Ha! I'll kiss a hippie on the lips before that ever happens!"

"Don't be so sure, man," Fillmore drawled, pulling up behind him. "You're racking up some bad karma right now. It could happen."

Vee smirked at the bus' remark, but didn't take her eyes off Sarge. "I'll do it," she growled. "You'll see."

Sarge would have laughed again if it weren't for the seriousness of her tone. He matched it with a growl of his own. "Listen here, speedy, that record was set by a professional athlete! No one else ever even came close to matching it! The second best time was forty-two minutes! You actually think you stand a chance against a professional off-roading SUV?"

Vee narrowed her eyes. "I don't think. I _know_."

Sarged snorted. "Well, since you're so confident, why don't you put your money where your mouth is!"

"Okay," Vee agreed. "What do you want to bet?"

The jeep took a moment to think about it. "If you can run the entire course, twenty times, within thirty-five minutes - and not a second over - I'll let you have whatever you want from my surplus store."

Vee frowned. "Army surplus? No offense, Major Annoyance, but you couldn't _pay_ me to take anything from your store."

Sarge growled. "Well then, what do you want?"

Vee thought about it. "Hmm, I think I waaannnt… to humiliate and demean you as much as possible. In other words, take you down a few notches. Now, how to do that? Hmmmm…" her eyes drifted past the jeep to the brightly-colored bus behind him. An evil smile spread across her face. "I believe you mentioned something about kissing a hippie on the lips…"

"WHAT?!"

Vee smiled even wider. "That's it then. A perfect bet! If I win, you have to kiss that hippie there, on the lips, in front of the entire town."

Mack stared at her in disbelief. Sarge paled at the suggestion, turning to flash Fillmore a hateful look, as if it were somehow his fault. "No way!" he growled. "There is no way in hell that is _ever_ going to happen! Do you hear me? No way in hell! Forget it, no dice, guess again, keep dreaming, take a flying leap, and no freaking way!"

"What's the matter, Private Insecurity?" Vee said sweetly. "Afraid you'll lose the bet?"

Sarge glared daggers at her. "Of course not! The odds are completely in my favor! I'm only refusing that wager on the grounds that it's too utterly ridiculous to even consider _calling_ it a wager! Come on, girl! Use your head! Give me a bet I can sink my teeth into!"

Vee's smug grin turned into a deadly frown. "Don't _ever_ call me 'girl'," she growled, in a voice so low it sent shivers along Mack's chassis. "And just for that, my bet stands firm. Take it or leave it!"

Sarge growled to himself, frowning down at his hood. When he looked at her again, his eyes held nothing but pure loathing. "All right, fine!" he barked. "But what do I get if _I_ win?"

"What do you want?" Vee asked coolly.

Sarge looked her over, considering his answer. "If I win," he said quietly, rolling closer to her until his fender was only an inch from her own. "If I win, I get to kiss _you_ instead."

"WHAT?!" Vee and Mack shouted in unison. Sarge's bumper curled into a wicked smile.

"You heard me," he said smugly. "If you don't beat the course in exactly thirty-five minutes or less, you lose, and on top of losing, you have to kiss me. And I mean a _real_ kiss."

Mack seethed. "Why you dirty — !"

"It's okay, Mack," Vee said firmly. "I take cheap shots from punks like him all the time. I can handle it." She smirked at the jeep. "If that's all it'll take to shut you up, maybe I should just kiss you right now and have done with it," she said smoothly. Mack gaped at her, but said nothing.

Sarge looked surprised by this statement as well, but he quickly shook it off. "Don't flatter yourself, sweetie pie. I won't be taking any pleasure from it," he growled. "I'm only making this bet so that when you lose, I can rub it in your face. And just for the record, I'd rather kiss a speeding train… _and_ a hippie!" He backed up, taking in her half-mangled appearance, and sneered.

"In fact, I might have to use that as a mental image so I don't hurl my guts out when I'm kissing _you_!"

"That's it!" Mack exploded. "You apologize to her this instant or so help me Dodge I will crush you like a bug!"

Vee gasped. _"Mack!"_

Sarge stood his ground. "I will NOT take orders from a third-class freightliner, and I will NOT apologize to that banged up hussy!"

Mack let out a blood-curdling growl and charged the jeep. Vee jumped in front of him to stop him, but it was useless. The truck struck her in his attempt to get at Sarge. Vee skidded sideways, nearly tipping over. The entire crowd at Flo's, including Mack, gasped. The nearest cars backed away in alarm.

"Oh my Dodge!" Mack cried, reaching out a front tire toward his friend. "Vee! Are you all right? I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

Stunned by the impact, Vee shook her hood and looked up at Mack. "Huh?" was all she managed to say. Engine racing, Mack looked her over for injuries, but if there were any, they could not be told apart from the rest of the scratches and dents that riddled her right side. He dropped his tire and backed away, looking thoroughly ashamed. He saw Sarge approach out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing. The jeep may have been a major annoyance, but Mack knew he could have - _should_ have - ignored him as always.

The way Vee was looking at him just then made his oil run cold. It was not the look of loathing that he would have expected, but rather a concerned, questioning look. Everyone at Flo's was either staring at her or at Mack, the truck burning crimson with shame.

"Dodge Ram, Mack!" Sheriff said, pulling up beside him. "You can stop a speeder all right, but I didn't ask you to beat her up!"

Mack cast the patrol car a sideways glance, wondering whether that was some kind of weak attempt to make light of the situation. It only made him feel worse, though.

"It's okay, officer," Vee said. "It was an accident. I just got in the way, is all." Sheriff frowned, looking her over disapprovingly.

Sarge pulled forward, opening his mouth to speak, but one look from Mack shut him up immediately. As much as Mack blamed himself for striking his friend, he was still mad at Sarge for provoking him. He glared heatedly at the jeep, but a gentle touch to his hubcap drew his attention back to his friend. Vee gave him a pleading look before flashing Sarge an equally heated glare.

"Looks like I just saved your back bumper," she purred, keeping a firm tire on Mack's hubcap. "Next time I might not hold him back."

Sarge smirked, looking back and forth between the Chrysler and the big rig. "Oh, don't bother!" he replied haughtily. "At the rate he's going, you won't be in any kind of shape to run my course on Friday, and if you don't run the course, you won't be able to lose and _I _won't be able to claim my prize!"

"Don't you worry about that, General Incompetence. I'll be in good enough shape by then to break that record _and_ rub it in your face! Although I think I'll enjoy rubbing that hippie in your face even more!"

Sarge sneered and grumbled something in response. Vee leaned in closer to hear him. "I'm sorry, what was that?" she said sweetly, though the look in her eyes was anything but sweet. Sarge opened his mouth to repeat himself but Fillmore was already nudging him.

"Remember your karma, man."

Sarge shut his mouth. "Oh, shut up," he growled, then with a loud "Humph!" turned his nose up at Vee and drove back to his spot across the way.

* * *

A/N: To all the Sarge fans out there (you know who you are) -- before you kill me, please wait and see what happens first!


	10. Date 'er, Mater

A/N: A thousand apologies for the long wait. Some weird problem with my FFN account has kept me from posting this new chapter for nearly three weeks. But the good news is, I'm back with a brand new chapter! And more good news (though some of you already know this) — I am making illustrations for this story. There will now be one picture for each chapter! So far I've got the first seven chapter illustrations done. Please see my profile for the link to these and the rest of my Cars fanart. And please leave comments!

Hope you all enjoy this latest chapter. Please R&R!

CHAPTER TEN:  
DATE 'ER, MATER

The breakfast crowd at Flo's had grown quickly. Everyone in town was there now. When Luigi and Guido arrived, they wasted no time in pestering Vee.

"That-a spare tire, she ees most unflattering on such a ravishing young Chrysler!" Luigi purred, as Guido slipped a fork under said tire and lifted it up for a closer inspection. "She ees - how do I say politely - tacky, and she ees-a slowing you down, no?" Guido jiggled the spare for emphasis. Vee pulled it away.

"Well yeah, but — I can't drive very fast anyway," she replied. "Not til Friday, when I get new brake pads."

"Ah well, we will wait until Friday then. No problem!" Luigi said, waving a tire dismissively. "Luigi's Casa Della Tires ees-a open seven days of the week! And-a we are committed to top quality service! Guido here will change-a your tires so fast you will not know what hit you!"

As he spoke, the little forklift grasped Vee's spare and turned it back and forth eagerly. "Peet stop?"

"Maybe later," Vee replied, forcing a polite smile.

Guido grinned big. "Okay!" he chirped, then drove off after Luigi.

"Don't think you've heard the end of it," Mack told Vee. "Unless you're a Ferrari and have perfect tires, those two will just keep harassing you."

"Great," Vee mumbled. "I'll just have to tell them that I can't afford it."

"They'll just bargain with you until you agree. Besides, I'll pay for it."

Vee glanced up at Mack, shaking her hood. "Oh no, Mack. Don't start that again."

"Don't start what?"

"You know what! That whole 'I'm buying' deal. I told you before, I'm not comfortable with it."

"Well, _I'm_ not comfortable just standing by and watching my best friend go without!" Mack replied heatedly. "I can't even pass a stranger on the road who needs help without doing something about it."

"I know," Vee sighed, giving him a weak smile. "You always were the nicest guy in school."

Mack smiled back, giving her a mock shove. "Then let me buy you a new tire, or I won't be so nice anymore!"

Vee chuckled. "All right, fine." She cast a sideways glance at his own massive tire, noticing that the retreads on it were badly frayed. "While we're at it, you should get some new retreads. Those ones look like they'll be coming off soon."

Mack lifted a tire and inspected it. "Yeah, I know. I actually need to get new tires. Retreads are illegal in this state." He lifted the other front tire and looked it over too. "Either the Sheriff hasn't noticed, or he's just ignoring them."

"Noticed what?" said a deep voice, and the two vehicles looked up to see none other than Sheriff himself, driving past. Mack dropped his tire and backed up a little, but the squad car had already seen. He glared up at the truck. "Retreads, huh? Shoulda known you'd have those, but I never thought about it til now. You know those things are illegal in this state, don't you?"

Mack blushed in shame. "Yeah, I know. I was just telling Vee here that I need to get rid of them and get some new tires."

"Well, see that you do," Sheriff replied. "I won't give you a ticket just yet, but if you're still wearing those retreads a week from today, I'll have no choice but to fine you. You got that?"

"Yes, sir," Mack nodded. Sheriff nodded back and drove off across the lot.

"Sorry about that," Vee said.

"That's all right. I really need to get new tires anyway. Retreads may be cheaper and easier, but they're a lot more dangerous." Mack sighed and finished his coffee. "Guess I'll have to drive up to Carburetor City this weekend and get 'em there."

"Why can't you do it here?" Vee asked. "Personally, I'd love to see that runty little forklift try to change a tire this big," she said, nudging Mack's tire with her own.

Mack chuckled at the thought. "Well, for one thing, they don't carry tires in my size," he answered. "And there's a special kind of lift involved. An ordinary lift won't support a big rig. Plus it's hard to find a tire shop for larger vehicles, or even a mechanic, for that matter. They're few and far between, which is why I have to go all the way up to Carburetor City to get new tires."

"How far away is it?"

"About seventy miles."

"Wow," Vee said. "I had no idea semi trucks had it so rough."

"Well, that's a pretty short trip compared to how far I'm used to going," Mack replied. "Anything under three hundred miles is a Sunday drive!" A few moments passed in silence before Mack spoke up again. "You wanna go with me?"

"Where?"

"To Carburetor City. You know, just for the heck of it." Vee looked unconvinced. "A guy gets lonely on the road, especially us truckers," he added lamely. "It would be nice to have some company for a change."

Vee smirked. "For an hour's drive?"

"It'll take more than an hour for me," Mack replied. "Semis don't have the same get-up-and-go as most other cars, especially when we're hauling."

"Gee, sucks to be a semi," Vee mumbled.

"How 'bout a little sympathy, then?" Mack replied, pouting.

"Oh, all right," Vee sighed. "I'll go with you." She finished her coffee and pushed the mug away, just as Tia rolled up and offered another refill.

"No, thanks," Mack replied. Vee echoed him, but Tia didn't seem to hear her. She was far too busy making eyes at the big truck. Mack smiled politely in return, trying his hardest not to blush. When the waitress finally drove away, he sighed heavily and sunk low on his axles.

"I am _not_ looking forward to tonight," he mumbled.

"Why not?" Mater asked, startling both Mack and Vee. The rusty tow truck was parked in front of them. "Whut's wrong with tonight? T'ain't even here yet!"

"Oh, well…" Mack started, unsure what to tell him. "It's nothing."

"It's nothing, all right," Ramone teased as he drove by. "A sweet, sexy little nothing, and her name is — "

"Ramone!" Flo barked, cutting him off.

Mater looked up at Mack. "Her name is Ramone?"

"No," Mack mumbled. "It's… Tia."

"Whut about 'er?"

"I uh… I have a date with her tonight." Having said this, he watched Mater's slack jaw grow into a wide grin.

"Wull paint me black and call me a hearse! You got yerself a date with one o' the twins? Boy howdy, that's some mighty nice work right there! Tell me yer secret!"

"Uh, she asked _me_ out," Mack replied, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Wow! That's all it takes, huh? Shoot, Ah'd never o' thoughtta that! Thank ya, Mack!"

"Uh, sure thing."

Mater's gaze drifted from Mack to Vee. "Wull howdy! Ah didn't even see ya right there! How ya doin'?"

Vee pulled forward a little. "Hello," she said quietly, looking the rusty tow truck over. He continued to grin. "Um, have we met?"

"Shore have! Ah done towed ya tuh the clinic last night! 'Course, you was out cold at the time, so ya probably don't remember…" he trailed off, looking at the ground, then suddenly back up at Vee. "Name's Mater! Whut's yers?"

Mack pulled forward, placing a tire against Vee before she could answer. "Allow me to introduce my best friend from high school, Veronica Vroom."

Vee opened her mouth to speak but Mater cut her off. "Ver-on-ic-a Vroom?" he repeated slowly, taking special care to pronounce her first name. "Wull, Ah like the sound o' that! Ya want Ah should call ya Veronica or Vroom? Or Miss Veronica, or Miss Vroom, or Missus Veronica or — "

"Just call me Vee."

"Okay then. Is that short fer Veronica or Vroom?"

Vee stared at him. "Yes."

"Wull all right then!" Mater nodded, then looked over at Mack. "Say, why ain't you goin' out with Miss Vee here 'stead of that there waitress?" he asked, pointing at the nearest twin.

"That's Mia," Mack answered. "I'm going out with _Tia_, remember?"

"But whut about Miss Vee?"

Burning redder, Mack glanced down at her before answering. "We're just friends."

"Oh. Ah thought you was _more'n_ jist friends," Mater replied, looking back and forth at the two of them. "The way you was talkin' and laughin' and nudgin' each other the whole time, looked like the two o' ya were purdy darn close."

Mack blushed even more, but didn't dare look at Vee. "Well, we _are_ close, just not… _that _close," he explained, wishing Mater would just drop the subject. Seeking a diversion he reached for his mug, then remembered that Tia had taken it earlier. Without thinking he waved her down. She positively glowed as she approached him.

"Can I getcha something, honey?" she asked him, batting her eyes.

"Uhhh, yeah," Mack started, fighting down another blush. "Check, please." She nodded and handed him a slip of paper, right side up (or wrong side, according to restaurant etiquette). Mack quickly tucked the bill under his tire before Vee could read it, then paid Tia quickly, telling her to keep the change. He didn't want his friend feeling any more guilty than she already did.

"They're playing _Grease_ at the drive-in tonight," Tia said suggestively, hoping Mack would take the hint.

"They are? I haven't seen that movie in years," Mack replied, avoiding Tia's gaze. A short and awkward silence followed, during which he could feel the little Mazda's eyes burning into him. "You wanna go see it?" he asked her timidly, already knowing the answer.

"I'd love to!" Tia exclaimed. She flashed Vee a quick glance before continuing. "It starts at eight, right when I get off work, so you better not be late," she told Mack, in a suddenly serious tone that sounded chilling coming from such a dainty little car.

"I won't be late," he assured her.

"Good. See ya then!" And she sped off to greet another customer. Mack shook his hood and sighed.

"_That's_ why I'm not looking forward to tonight," he told Mater.

"Wull, if _Grease _is whut's playin,' Ah'm _really_ lookin' forward to it! Now all Ah need's a date," Mater said, looking around. "Ah cain't drive inta the drive-in by mahself. T'aint no good tuh go to an outdoor movie without a purdy date tuh show off!"

"Well, go ask Mia," Mack suggested.

"Naw. Ah cain't do that."

"Why not? I'm sure she'll at least sit next to you if you offer to share your popcorn with her."

"Naw, Ah mean I cain't cuz she already got herself a date fer tonight."

"Oh. Really?" Mack was surprised by this news. Those girls sure moved fast. He looked again at Mater, who seemed a bit depressed. "Well, why don't you ask…" he started, glancing around. Sally, Flo, Mia and Tia were already spoken for, Lizzie was Mater's great aunt, and everyone else in town were complete strangers passing through. That left only…

"How 'bout you, Miss Vee? Would ya do me the honor o' bein' mah date this evenin'?"

Vee stared at Mater in surprise, while Mack stared down at her, waiting for her answer. "Sure," she replied, after a moment's pause, "I'd love to." She gave him a sincere smile.

"WEEE-HOOOOOOOOO!!!" Mater cheered loudly, making her jump. He started spinning around in circles, cheering like a maniac. Vee chuckled. She'd just met him, but she found she liked the rusty tow truck already.

"Ah got me a date! Ah got me a date!" Mater sang, strutting back and forth and swinging his tow hook around. It nearly hit Doc Hudson's nose as he came driving up. "Mater," Doc said, but was unheard over Mater's singing. The hook swung toward him again, this time within an inch of his windshield. "Mater!"

"Ah got a date! Ah got a date! Ah got a date!" he sang all the louder, completely oblivious to the Hornet's presence. By now everyone at Flo's was watching. He swung his hook again, this time hitting Doc in the side.

"MATER!"

Mater stopped and turned to see Doc with a dent in his passenger door and a scowl on his face. "You're late for your appointment," he growled.

"Ah'm sorry, Doc. Ah jist plumb forgot," Mater said casually. Though he'd stopped dancing, he was hardly keeping still. He was grinning from headlight to headlight, and his tow cable was swinging back and forth like a wagging tail.

"I figure you would," the Hornet replied, regarding him irritably. "What in Ford's name has gotten into you?"

Mater grinned proudly. "Why, Ah got me a date fer the drive-in movie this evenin'."

"Oh?" Doc raised an eyebrow. "It's not another tractor, is it?"

"No sir! Ah got me a _real _date! One that won't bother no one with her mooin' and chewin' neither, though Ah reckon Frank'll still git jealous and try tuh steal 'er away from me."

"Who is it then?"

Mater puffed himself up, looking very proud indeed as he turned aside and gestured a tire at Vee.

Doc stared at her in surprise. "You?" Vee blushed slightly and nodded in reply. "No offense Mater," Doc said, with a quick nod to the tow truck, "but I thought you'd go with Mack."

"Well, I would have," Vee replied, "but Mack already has a date."

Doc looked up at the big rig. "He does?" Mack blushed yet again.

"That's right!" Mater said loudly on his behalf. "He's got himself a date with Tia! Ain't that somethin'?"

"It sure is," the Hornet replied, in a tone that was anything but impressed. He gave Mack a disapproving look.

"He doesn't really want to go out with her," Vee explained, sensing Doc's disapporval. "But I bullied him into it."

"Oh!" Doc chuckled. "Well, as long as he doesn't enjoy it."

"Humph!" Mack frowned and looked away. Vee laughed too.

"Now don't be sore 'cuz ya got a bad date," Mater told him. "Ya know most guys'd trade with ya in a second." Mack smirked at him, but Mater didn't notice. He was too busy admiring himself in his side-view mirror. "Not me, though. Ah got me one first-class lady right here, and she'll be turnin' more hoods than all two o' those gals put together," he said, pointing at the twins.

Vee blushed. "Not if they see this side of me, they won't," she said, pulling forward until her entire right side was in plain view. Unable to brake, she bumped fenders with Mater.

"Easy there, Miss Vee," he chuckled. "We ain't on our date just yet."

"Sorry," Vee replied. "I can't stop."

Mater blushed. "Boy howdy, did Ah get me a live one!" he exclaimed, nudging her back.

This time Vee blushed. "No, silly. I mean I can't brake. I need new brake pads."

"Oh. So you wasn't puttin' no moves on ol' Mater just now?"

Vee laughed. "Sorry, but I _am _a lady, after all."

"Ah guess that means Ah cain't put the moves on you neither?"

"Damn straight," Mack said sternly. "No one lays a tread on her without answering to me!" Vee smirked at him. He smirked back.

"That's mighty swell o' ya tuh want tuh be so protectin' of my date, but she is mah date and Ah kin take care o' her mahself. And no one'll lay one single tread on _mah_ date without answerin' tuh _me_!" Mater said, faking a yawn and stretching a tire out toward Vee.

"Save it for the drive-in," she chuckled, smacking his tire away.

"Hey, I'll be there too, you know," Mack spoke up. "And I'll be keeping an eye on both of you!" He turned to Mater. "You just keep your tires to yourself, you got that?"

"Wull shoot, I weren't gonna do nothin' Ah ought not tuh," Mater replied indignantly. "Ah is a gentletruck, and bein' such Ah ain't gonna do nothin' but date 'er, Mater." He grinned at Vee. "Date 'er, Mater!" he snorted. "That's purdy good!"

"You're not dating anyone until I finish that lube job I started yesterday," Doc chided. "Now get your back bumper over to the clinic. I've got other patients to see today."

Mater nodded to Doc before turning to address Mack and Vee. "Wull Ah'll see y'all later, Ah s'pose. And Ah'll be seein' _you_ this evenin'," he added slyly, winking at Vee.

"Later, Mater," she purred, batting her eyes.

Mater snorted again. "Later, Mater. That's a good un, too!" He chuckled all the way back to the clinic, with Doc following close behind.


	11. Grease is the Word

A/N: And we're back with the much anticipated "date at the drive-in" chapter! Well, this is just the opener, actually. I'm dividing the drive-in date into four parts because I'm drawing four pictures for it, and it's easiest for me to post the pics separately with their own chapters on DeviantArt. Does that make sense? XP Please read and review and come check out the chapter illustrations. Link to all my Cars pics is in my profile.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:  
GREASE IS THE WORD

"Wow. Most wins in a single season, and no one's broken the record _yet_? That is awesome," Vee said to Doc as she drove onto the lift inside the clinic that afternoon. Doc smiled appreciatively at her, but said nothing. "I mean, I knew you were a famous racecar and all, but I was lacking certain details. All I knew was that you'd won the Piston Cup and then quit racing after your big wreck."

"He won _three_ Piston Cups!" Lightning said in Doc's defense. "And he didn't quit! He would've won even more if those idiots hadn't given up -"

"Yes, thank you, Lightning," Doc said, waving him away with a tire. "Mind moving aside? You make a bigger roadblock than Mack, you know."

"Gee, thanks," Mack grumbled from the threshold.

Lightning moved back with a mumbled apology. Doc drove around to Vee's other side where he pressed the lever to start the lift moving. When she was about three feet off the floor, he switched it off.

"So how long is this going to take?" Vee asked him.

"Not long," Doc replied. "I reckon all it'll take is a small adjustment, maybe replace a few bolts, and you'll be good as new." Vee gave him a doubtful look. "Well, maybe not _good as new_," Doc admitted with a smile. "But it ought to take care of that rattling you complained about."

The Hornet left her side to search in his cabinet. There was a great clanking, clattering noise of metal on metal as he set a tray with the required tools, over which Lightning continued to speak to Vee. "So what's your record speed?" he asked loudly.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied. "Back in high school I once came in first at two hundred and twenty-two miles per hour on the track team. Of course, that was when I was in shape." She looked from Lightning to Mack with a small blush. "I've been practicing a lot lately, and hopefully I'll lose some weight by the time the next season starts. I want to look good, even if I'm just a blur on the tracks."

"Eh, don't be so vain," Mack chided her. "You already look good. I told you that earlier."

"Of course you did," Vee replied flatly, "but only because if you'd said otherwise, you knew I'd have beaten the tar out of you."

Lightning snickered. Mack smirked at him but let it slide. "Aw, c'mon!" he said. "Are you saying a car can't be big AND beautiful?"

Vee thought about it. "Well, I guess, but I think it's hard enough work being beautiful," she purred, with an air of mock arrogance. "If I could just drop the 'big,' that would be a load off my mind right there. Plus I'd be a lot faster without the extra weight to slow me down."

Mack nodded reluctantly. "True, but I doubt you weigh all that much."

"Maybe not to _you. _How much can you pull, anyway? Forty, maybe fifty thousand pounds?"

"Yeah, something like that."

Vee smirked. "Well trust me, if I got on your back right now, you'd notice. And you wouldn't be too happy about it, either."

This time Mack smirked. "Pardon me, but I beg to differ. I'd rather have a hot babe on my back than a trailer any day!"

"Who wouldn't?" Lightning said with a snicker.

"All right, you two," Doc said, parking himself in front of Vee. "How about giving the lady some privacy here?"

"It's all right, Doc," Vee told him. "They aren't gonna see anything I don't want 'em to see, and certainly nothing a grown man hasn't seen before."

Lightning grinned wickedly. Mack noticed and nudged him with a tire. "Get it out of the gutter, McQueen," he growled.

"Oh, like you weren't thinking the same thing!" Lightning grumbled, shoving him back.

"Hey! That's my best friend you're talking about!" Mack replied, pushing him again. Lightning returned the gesture even harder.

Vee snorted and rolled her eyes. "Of course, if they're going to act like little boys, feel free to kick 'em out."

Doc worked wordlessly for several minutes while Lightning bored Vee with a detailed account of his near win at the Piston Cup tiebreaker race.

"Yes, I know. I saw it on TV," she mumbled for the umpteenth time. She glanced over at Mack, who looked at her as if to say, "Just grin and bear it and it'll be over before you know it."

"Hey, Hotrod," said Doc, turning to pick up a wrench, "remind me to teach you the fine art of putting a lid on it the next time we go out for a practice race."

Lightning stared at the older car, puzzled. "And how is that going to help me win?" he demanded, clearly missing Doc's point.

"Well, for one thing, you'll be a lot more aerodynamic with your mouth shut. That, and I'm not going to teach you any more of my tricks if you're just going to do more talking than listening."

Lightning opened his mouth to argue, but promptly closed it. He now opted to watch Doc make another adjustment. The Hornet continued to work on Vee for a few minutes. The sudden sound of metal clattering against the floor startled everyone at the clinic. Doc swore under his breath and pulled away from Vee to wipe his tires on a rag.

"Shoot Miss Vee, but yer rattlin' worse than ever!" a voice called through the doorway. Mack pulled aside to allow the tow truck to pass. Mater drove into the clinic and parked beside Lightning.

"That wasn't Vee," Doc said gruffly. "I just dropped some tools. You're a lot greasier than I thought," he added, turning to the Chrysler. "I'll see if I can't clean you up a little. It'll make it easier for me to finish that adjustment."

"Thanks, Doc," Vee replied.

"No problem. We can't have Mater going to the drive-in with a greasy date, although I'm sure he wouldn't mind," he said, giving the tow truck a fond smile.

"Shoot no!" Mater replied with a proud grin at Vee. "Ah likes gals with a little somethin' extra. Rust, dents, grease, you name it. Mama always said a little grease makes ya slicker 'n uhhhhh… well, somethin' real slick, anyways."

Vee chuckled. "Glad to hear you approve," she told him with a smile. "But for the sake of my reputation, I think I could do with a little less grease."

"Hey, now don't you go fergettin that grease is the word tonight!" Mater declared loudly before dropping his voice. "So, uh, maybe you oughtta jist keep the grease on fer luck," he added with a wink.

"Watch it, buddy!" Mack growled. "Don't forget I'll be there too!"

Vee laughed and shook her hood. "Don't worry, Mack. If he becomes a problem I'll beat him up just like I did you." Everyone laughed except Mater, who was now looking puzzled and somewhat fearfully at Vee. Only when she assured him that she was kidding did he laugh too.

* * *

It was ten minutes to eight when Mack pulled up to Flo's. With a sigh, he scanned the lot for his date, half praying she'd gone ahead without him. He felt guilty for hoping this, knowing full well that he had brought it on himself. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why the little Mazda had had such a sudden change of heart, and right when he'd just changed his own mind on the same matter. 

If Tia had just said yes the first time, well, it would have been so much easier. But now that Vee was in town, everything was different. How her mere presence could complicate something as simple as a date at the drive-in was beyond Mack's comprehension. All he had to do was accompany Tia to the theatre and park next to her during the movie. That was all that was expected of him, yet, he would have preferred a date with Bessie over Tia. At least hot tar had its benefits.

After about five minutes of waiting, Mack drove up to the café and stopped at the door, which was as far as he could go. Peering in, he saw Flo wiping the counter with her back to him. "Hey Flo. Where's Tia?"

Flo turned to the big rig with a questioning look. "Oh, I don't know. That girl's always taking off. Doesn't matter if it's break time or not," the show car grumbled, slapping her rag down on the counter and turning her attention to a stack of trays. She picked them up and took them into the kitchen. "Why do you ask?" she called out.

Mack felt his face heat and was glad that Flo couldn't see him blushing. "Uh, well… because she's supposed to go to the movie with me."

"You asked her out?" Flo's surprised voice preceded her as she came back out into the diner. She stared up at Mack in disbelief.

"Yyyeah, no," Mack mumbled. "I mean, well, kind of."

Flo continued to stare at him.

"I can't really tell you how it happened, but somehow it did and now I've got to take her to the drive-in," he explained, blushing at the lameness of his words.

Flo gave him a pitying look. "Well, I can't say I envy you, and you sure don't look too happy about it."

Mack nodded in agreement. With a heavy sigh, he pulled away from the café, thanking Flo as he did so.

It was eight o'clock on the dot when Tia came zooming up the street toward the café. She screeched to a stop in front of Mack, the look on her face nothing short of deranged. "Where have you _been_?" she demanded hotly. "Don't you know what time it is? The movie's starting right _now!"_

Mack opened and closed his mouth several times, stunned. "I've been waiting here for the past ten minutes," he explained, keeping his voice level. "Where have _you_ been?"

"At the drive-in, of course!" Tia huffed out an exasperated breath. "What the hell are you doing _here_?"

"You told me to meet you -"

"Come on," Tia growled, cutting him off. "We're going to be late!" And without another word she turned and sped off down the street. Tanks churning unpleasantly, Mack followed, keeping slightly closer to the speed limit.

Tia stood beside the entrance to the lot, glaring daggers at him as he caught up to her. Mack blushed, sorely wishing now that he'd asked out Bessie instead.

"You are SO lucky they haven't started it yet," Tia growled at him. Mack cringed inwardly at the coldness in her tone. He moved toward the entrance, but she held up a tire. "Not yet!" she ordered. "I'm waiting."

Mack frowned. "Waiting for what?"

Tia glanced around nervously, then moved aside as Sarge and Fillmore drove past, both vehicles arguing. Mack smirked at the two. From what he heard, it was clear that Fillmore had somehow talked Sarge into coming to the show, and the jeep was having second thoughts. They were followed shortly by Lightning and Sally. About a minute later Flo and Ramone rolled past, the former giving Mack and Tia an appraising look.

Tia continued her lookout, and on seeing the mounting frustration in her eyes, Mack did not dare ask again what she was waiting for. After a minute or two, the lights surrounding the drive-in lot were turned off, and the dark screen flickered to life. Tia sighed angrily, mumbling something that sounded very obscene. "Forget it. Let's just go," she said, turning to enter the theatre. Mack hesitated. "Hurry _up_!" Tia hissed back at him. Very reluctantly, he followed.

Tia drove along the back row, grumbling all the way. She picked out a spot and parked in a huff, shooting Mack an accusatory glare when he pulled up beside her. He looked down at her questioningly. "All the good spots were taken," she grumbled, nodding toward the rest of the lot, which was fairly packed. "Thanks a lot," she added bitterly, turning her eyes toward the screen.

"You're the one who wanted to wait!" Mack reminded her, as gently as possible. Tia shot him another nasty look and opened her mouth, clearly ready to shoot him a reprisal, but he cut her off. "And besides, I have to park in the back row," Mack said, careful not to sound argumentative. "I'm too big for others to see around me." At this, Tia closed her mouth, the look on her face softening somewhat. She turned away again, and Mack breathed a sigh of relief.

Far across the lot, in the very front row, he could just make out the unmistakable silhouette of Mater and, to his left, Vee. Her golden laughter rang out following a joke from the rusty tow truck, and her pristine left side gleamed like moonlight under the glow cast from the movie screen. At that moment, Mack would have given anything to be the one parked beside her.

* * *

_A/N: To those of you who are wondering, the title of my fic, "I'll Meet You On Route 62," is taken from the lyrics of the song "Route 66." It will gain meaning later on in the story, so there will definitely be some relevance to the title. _


	12. Blue Moon

A/N: This chapter contains slight spoilers for the movie "Grease."

CHAPTER TWELVE:  
BLUE MOON

Mack stared up at the flickering screen, determined to keep his eyes focused on it and not Vee. A Coca-Cola commercial played, during which he noticed Tia squirming out of the corner of his eye. Curious, he looked down at her. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Tia started, then glanced up at him. "Huh?"

"You seem awful fidgety. Are you okay?"

At this, Tia heaved an impatient sigh. "Yeah, fine. I'm just wondering why she's not here yet," she mumbled, eyes darting around the lot again. "Doesn't even have the guts to show up…"

"Who?" Mack asked her, but at that exact moment, his question was answered. Staring toward the entrance, Tia gasped. Mack followed her gaze to see none other than Mia driving toward them. Tia rushed to meet her twin halfway, greeting her with a loud "THERE you are! Where the hell have you been?"

"Getting ready, of course," Mia retorted, driving past her sister. "You think I'm gonna go out on a date looking like _you_? As if!" She passed Mack with a friendly nod and a smile that roused a growl from Tia, who returned to her spot beside the big truck. Mia parked on her other side.

"So where is he?" Tia demanded.

"He's coming," Mia answered boredly, staring up at the screen. "He's just a little shy."

"Uh-huh," Tia mumbled doubtfully. Mack opened his mouth to inquire, but thought better of it. He turned his attention back to the screen, where a trailer for a movie that came out three years prior was now playing.

"C'mon man, get to the movie!" Ramone shouted from up in the front row. "We ain't got all night!" He raised himself up and turned to yell at Luigi, who was working the projector inside the little building at the back of the lot. "Some of us got hot dates, ya know what I mean?"

Mack couldn't help but blush slightly as he wondered who exactly he was referring to. While Ramone was exchanging a flirty look with Flo, Mater was nudging Vee, who was shoving him back with a laugh. Mack glanced back at Tia, who was looking rather proud of herself, and Mia, who looked him over a moment before muttering to her sister, "Hot date my bumper!"

"Well at least I _have_ a date!" Tia argued, also giving Mack an appraising look.

"Oh, I've got one too, you'll see!" Mia growled, peering down the back row toward the entrance. Her scowl suddenly lit up into a bright smile. "Here he comes now!" she squealed. "Hey! Over here!" she called out, waving a tire toward her date.

Both Mack and Tia turned as one to see Red driving toward them. The fire truck wore a timid look on his face. He was glancing around nervously, blushing whenever he made eye contact with anyone. Mia waved impatiently at him, and he sped up, parking on her opposite side from her sister.

"There's my big boy," Mia cooed, batting her eyes at him. Red looked ready to burst into flames from all the blushing he was doing. Tia stared at the two of them in disgust.

"Red?" she asked, and the fire truck looked at her questioningly. "_Red's_ your date?" she snorted. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

Mia scowled, turning away from her date to glower at her sister. "Room to talk! You're dating a trucker! What's so great about that? At least my date's got a _cool_ job!"

Tia flashed Mack a quick glance. "Oh yeah? Well, _my_ date's bigger!" she argued, with a triumphant smile.

"So? Mine's cuter!"

Tia snorted. "Since when did you ever care what a guy looks like as long as he's got a big --"

"_Ahem!_ Can we just watch the movie, please?" Mack spoke up. He immediately regretted it when both girls turned to shoot him a deadly glare. 

"_My_ date never interrupts!" Mia added with a smirk.

"Duh! That's because he can't talk!" Tia retorted.

"And who wants him to talk? Men never have anything interesting to say."

Mack glanced over at Red, who looked hurt. He felt sorry for the shy fire truck. Then he frowned down at the twins. "He may be mute, but he's not deaf, you know," he said sternly.

For a moment both girls looked rather ashamed of themselves, especially Mia. She looked guiltily at Red, then flashed him a big smile and batted her eyes. She whispered something to him that made him blush even redder, if that were possible. She turned to her sister again with a smug grin.

"My date gave me flowers," she bragged. "What did yours give you?"

Tia opened her mouth as if to reply, but nothing came out. It hung open for several seconds before she clamped it shut and turned to give Mack a rather hurt look. Mack blanched, feeling both guilty and embarrassed. As much as he disliked the twins' constant competitiveness, he couldn't help but feel sorry for Tia just then. Okay, so maybe they'd gotten off on the wrong tire with their date, but that didn't mean it had to be a total waste of time for the both of them.

"It's a secret!" he said suddenly. It was the first thing that came to mind.

"Yeah, that's right!" Tia spoke up, flashing him a grateful smile. "A lady does not kiss and tell," she added, sticking her tongue out at Mia. Mack blushed.

"Oh yeah, that's real ladylike," Mia snorted. She glanced up at Mack, giving him a look that said clearly that she didn't believe either one of them. "Well, don't let me and Red keep you two from your little lip-wrestling match. Just let me know who wins, okay?"

Mack blushed even worse, but Tia spoke up in his defense. "Mack's a gentleman, and he doesn't want to do that kind of thing in public! We're saving it for _after_ the movie!"

Mia rolled her eyes. "Psssh. That's lame. What's the point of taking a date to the drive-in if you're not gonna make the most of it? I mean, look at Lightning and Sally over there. They're already going at it --"

"What? Where?" Tia spun around, scanning the lot frantically. She quickly spotted her idol and his fiancee snuggling nearby. Tia snorted. "Oh, that's nothing. They're not even kiss…" her words died in her throat as she watched Lightning turn and nibble at Sally's side. Sally responded by slapping him away with a tire, but that didn't stop him from moving in again and kissing her full on the mouth. This time she didn't object.

"Disgusting," Tia growled, turning away. She set her eyes on the screen and glared at it so heatedly Mack was almost surprised she didn't burn a hole in it.

"Jealous?" Mia teased. Mack and Tia looked over at her. She was pressed close to Red, who looked only a shade off from terrified of her.

"You wish," Tia growled back. "_My _date can kick _your_ date's bumper any day!"

"Wanna bet?"

Mack exchanged a look with Red. The poor fire truck was staring at him in wide-eyed terror. Mack smiled at him and shook his hood.

"My date puts out fires and stuff!" Mia bragged. "That makes him a hero! What does _yours_ do?"

"You know exactly what he does!" Tia retorted, though she clearly sounded defeated.

"Oh that's right, I forgot! He hauls! How heroic is that?" Mia said sarcastically.

"Shut up!" Tia barked. "He does more than that! Don't you, Mack?" she asked, suddenly rounding on him with an almost pleading look on her face.

Mack blushed slightly. "Uh, well…" he trailed off, glancing around the lot as if looking for a clue. _Is that really the only useful thing I do? _Mack wondered. Before he knew it Doc's words were answering his silent question: _If anyone can stop a speeder, it's you. _He glanced over at Vee, then shook his hood and sighed. Being big was nothing to be proud of if it only succeeded in doing more harm than good.

"Listen, I'm gonna go get something to drink," he said at last. Tia didn't hear him as she was arguing with her sister again. Mack hesitated, then nudged her with a tire.

Tia spun around to face him. "WHAT?!"

Mack backed away a little. "I said I'm gonna go get a drink. You want anything?"

Tia stared at him for a moment, her expression softening. "Diet Dr. Pepper," she said, then resumed her argument with Mia. Mack nodded and looked up at the screen. The Coke commercial was playing again, this time in rapid reverse. Someone yelled "BOO!" and threw a tire at the screen. A second voice yelled "Dammit, Fillmore! That was my only spare!"

Ramone stood up on his hydraulics again and started a shouting match with Luigi. "Hey man! You said you knew how to run the projector! You _lie_, man!" This was followed by Luigi rattling off a string of Italian curses. "I don't know what you just said, but I'm pretty sure it's something you get your ass kicked for!" Ramone shouted back as he headed toward the projector house.

Mack reached the concession stand just as the fight turned ugly. He heard some rather vulgar language, followed by a crash, but did not turn to look until he had his and Tia's drinks. Driving back to their spot, he saw that the door to the projector house was hanging off its hinges and Luigi was lying on his back nearby. Guido helped him up quickly. The screen went dark for a few seconds, then flickered back to life.

Danny Zuko and Sandy were cruising along a beach, laughing and splashing and making out in the surf. Ramone came out of the projector house a moment later looking very smugly at Luigi. "THAT'S how you roll the film, man!" he said.

Mack watched the black Thunderbird and the white Jaguar cruise across the screen, indulging in their summer lovin' without a care in the world. He didn't even realize that his eyes were drifting until they settled on a car in the front row. Vee. His engine revved and he continued on his way back to his spot beside Tia. She was still arguing with Mia, albeit much more quietly and calmly now. In fact, it sounded as though the two were merely having a polite conversation.

Mack pushed Tia's drink toward her and she took it with a mumbled "Thanks."

"They didn't have Dr. Pepper so I got you a Mr. Pibb," he whispered. "Hope that's okay."

"It's fine." She took a sip and made a face. "Except I asked for diet, remember?"

"Oh, sorry."

"No biggie." She took a second, much longer sip, seemingly unfazed by the non-diet soda. Mack looked at her curiously. He had expected a more negative reaction, but was too glad to see that she'd mellowed out to wonder at this sudden change. He parked next to her and started in on his own extra large Mr. Pibb. A slight sensation at his side made him look down. Tia was parked close to him… very close to him. Her petite front tire brushed against his in a way that appeared accidental, though he was quite certain that it was not. Mack considered scooting away a little, but on second thought knew that would be rude. So he stayed where he was, with barely an inch between himself and Tia.

To keep his mind off her close proximity, he tried hard to focus on the movie. Looking back in her rearview mirror, Vee smirked at the sight of her friend. He looked distinctly uncomfortable. She almost felt sorry for him. She watched his gaze drop from the screen to land on Vee herself. Their eyes locked on each other for a second, then Vee quickly turned her mirror back to its natural position, breaking their gaze. Before Mack had time to blush, Vee had moved her mirror and had turned her attention back to the movie. Reluctantly, he followed suit.

Things went relatively smoothly up until the big dance scene. _If by 'smoothly' you mean having Tia snuggled up to you on one side and Lightning and Sally making out on your other side_, Mack mused. _Not to mention your best friend on a date with someone else right up in the front row._ All of these things had made it all but impossible for him to concentrate on the screen.

"Dammit Stickers! I'm trying to watch the movie!" Sally hissed, though quite unconvincingly. Mack tried to resist looking at the couple parked on his left, but failed. One glance their way and he immediately regretted it. Lightning's windows were fogged up and he was nibbling on Sally's mirror. "Mm, you're worse than a tractor, you know that?" she purred. Mack blushed crimson and turned away. As he did, he bumped into Tia, who took it as a sign that he wanted to get cozy with her.

She snuggled closer to him just as the song "Blue Moon" started playing. Mack's engine heated uncomfortably at the sensation of her small, smooth tire caressing his own much larger tire. He tried to lean away from her as discreetly as possible, but this only caused her to lean more heavily against him. He looked down at her, only to find that she was staring up at him. Their eyes met, and he forced himself to smile before returning his attention to the movie.

He looked up at the screen just in time to see three of the T-Birds turning to moon the camera. Just as they lifted up their back ends, a dark silhouette reared up from the front row, obscuring the screen. The entire audience roared with shouts of surprise and laughter as Ramone mooned them all. Mack laughed so hard he thought he was going to overheat. Beside him, Tia was choking on her soda, but she was far from amused. Mia and Red were too shocked to respond. Mack couldn't have cared less. _Some cars just don't have a good sense of humor, _he thought, still shaking with laughter.

* * *

Please R&R! And don't forget to check out the illustrations for this fic at DeviantArt! Link is in my FFN profile!


	13. Double Trouble

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:  
DOUBLE TROUBLE

"You know you mean a lot to me, but Sandy does, too. I'm going to do anything I can to get her, that's all."

A chorus of whistles caused Danny to turn around. And then he spotted her, cruising toward him through the crowd, her voluptuous new black paint job shimmering in the sun. "Sandy!" the T-Bird exclaimed, looking her over in disbelief. The Jaguar gazed back at him through thick lashes and purred. "Tell me about it, stud."

Mack tried to ignore the sensation of a tire brushing against his as the final song started. He glanced down at Tia out of the corner of his eye. The little Miata was gazing raptly at the screen while sipping her soda. His throat felt dry as he watched her, and he took a large gulp of his own drink to sooth it. _Thank Dodge it's over_, he thought as Danny and Sandy soared across the sky, side by side. Just then Tia leaned up against him and whispered "I know a nice little spot we can go to be alone."

Mack choked on his Mr. Pibb. "Excuse me?" was all he managed to say before choking some more. Tia pulled away and turned to face him, the look on her face somewhere between annoyed and concerned. "Are you all right? Cuz if you've got some kind of problem, then, like, spit it out already!"

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Mack rasped. He gave a final cough and recovered. "Hoo boy. That was unpleasant." He pushed his drink away and fixed his eyes on the screen, pretending to read the credits. He could sense Tia approaching him again, but forced himself not to look at her until he felt her tire on his.

"So what do you say, big boy?" she purred, caressing him. "Are you up for a little drive?"

Mack tried to sound bored as he answered her. "Eh, not really. To tell you the truth, I kinda feel like turning in early tonight."

Far from looking disappointed, Tia smiled coyly at him. "Sounds good. So, your place or mine?"

Stunned by her reply, Mack stared down at her. "Aren't you staying at the Cone?" he asked casually.

"Yeah. That's not a problem, is it?"

"It is if you're as big as the cone itself," he replied, forcing a chuckle.

Tia shrugged. "Oh well, I guess we'll just have to go to your place then," she said simply, still smiling seductively at him. Despite his shock, Mack frowned.

"Listen, I don't know if you realize, but… I live under a lean-to."

"So?"

"So, what does that tell you?"

Tia said nothing, only stared at him questioningly. Mack sighed.

"That means no walls," he explained. Tia continued to stare at him. "No walls means no privacy," he added, glaring back at her. This time she seemed to understand.

"Oh, no biggie," she purred, rolling closer to him. At that moment, Doc and Sheriff drove past on their way out. Sheriff didn't look at him, but Doc afforded him a nod and a hint of a smirk as he passed. Mack blushed and backed up a bit, putting some space between Tia and himself. Tia moved forward, closing the gap again, her eyes shining with starlight and (Mack was almost certain) lust.

"I'm sure it's private enough," she said to him, moving even closer. Mack blushed again.

"Not really," he said, glancing toward the exit as though contemplating escape. "I mean, it's right next to the street, and cars drive by it all the time. Not to mention Mater lives right next door. A-and it's nowhere near as cozy as the Cone is, I'm sure." Mack cast about for more to say, all the while backing up as Tia advanced on him. "N-not that I've ever actually stayed at the Cone. B-but I've heard that it's quite…it's quite… " he trailed off as he backed into the wooden fence that surrounded the lot, then watched helplessly as his date parked in front of him, blocking him in. "…cozy," he finished meekly.

Tia's smile turned almost sinister, and she reminded Mack of a hungry beast closing in on its prey. "I've seen your house, Mack," she purred, in a sugary sweet tone that sent shivers along Mack's chassis. "It's not that close to the road, and there's hardly ever any traffic, especially this late at night. And as for Mater…" she turned to look across the lot. Mack followed her gaze to see the tow truck, two soda cups wedged over his front teeth as he performed a horrendous impression of Sarge yelling at Vee, who was laughing hysterically. Lightning and Sally stood nearby, also laughing.

"I don't think he'll be going home anytime soon," Tia finished, and Mack had to tear his eyes away from Vee to look at her. She inched even closer to him and he backed up instinctively, then braked as the fence creaked loudly and began to give. "Your place may not be the Cone," she purred, "but I'm sure it'll be cozy enough."

Mack's hood burned so hot he was sure he was going to overheat. He opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a squeak. Tia giggled and reached out a tire to his.

"Oh please… get a room, you two!" said Mia. Startled, Mack looked over at her. He'd completely forgotten about her and Red, neither of whom had moved from their spot.

"Don't worry, we will!" Tia retorted. The twins glared daggers at each other while Mack and Red exchanged embarrassed looks. "Come on, Mack. Let's go!" Tia said sharply, nudging him hard to get his attention. He looked down at her, but she was still glaring at Mia, who had turned her attention to Red and was now leaning on him and whispering something that seemed to horrify the timid fire truck.

Tia snorted. "Slut," she mumbled, loud enough for Mia to hear.

"Excuse me?" Mia growled, getting right in Tia's face. "Who are you calling a slut, you… you slut?"

Tia shoved her away with a tire. "Tell it to the tire, sister! I've got better things to do than watch you screw around with a fire truck!"

"Like what? Screwing a _trucker_? Oh, real classy!" Mia replied. Mack and Red looked at each other again, both blushing redder than they had all evening.

"Oh shut up, and worry about your own date!" Tia snapped back. "Me and Mack have plans for the evening."

"Oh will you give it up already?" Mia huffed. "You're not fooling anyone! You have absolutely no interest in him and you know it!"

Mack looked at Mia curiously. Was she serious?

For a moment, Tia looked shocked, but she quickly recovered. "Oh yeah? Well, you're not fooling me either! You only asked Red out because you hate it when I have a date and you don't! You're so pathetic!"

"No worse than you, I'm sure! Mack asked you out yesterday and you said no! Oh yes you did, you told me yourself! But as soon as that Chrysler showed up you were all over him! And why is that, I wonder?"

Mack's engine stalled on hearing this. He found himself scanning the lot for Vee and spotted her coming up the back row toward the exit. He quickly forced his attention back to the twins. Tia was livid as she exclaimed, "I don't give a flying Ford about her! I asked him out because I _wanted _to!"

"Bull!" Mia replied. "If you had any interest in him you would've done it by now!"

"Yeah well, what about you and Red?" Tia sneered. "I watched you two the whole time and I saw _nothing_!" Mack barely had time to wonder what they were talking about before he realized they were drawing a crowd. He wished desperately that he could sneak away, but he was still backed against the fence and Tia was still parked in front of him. He knew it would be impossible to wriggle out of that tight space without her noticing.

"You think you're all that?" Tia continued. "No, you're all talk. That's what you are!"

"Shut up!"

"Then do it already!"

"Fine! I will!" Mia huffed. Then suddenly, and with half the town watching, Mia turned to Red and kissed him hard on the lips. The poor fire truck looked absolutely petrified. Mack stared at the two in shock. Even Tia looked surprised. He heard her gasp amid the whistles and cat calls coming from their 'audience.' As he turned to see who exactly that audience included, he spotted Vee only a second before Tia rounded on him, knocking both their sodas over as she plunged her lips against his.

Unable to back up, unable to break the kiss, Mack stood rooted to the spot, engine racing. His eyes darted from Tia, whose own eyes were shut tight, to Mia, who glared back at him from the corner of her own eye while still kissing Red, to Vee. His engine nearly died as they stared at each other. With great effort he managed to shut his eyes, but even then he could not escape his best friend's gaze. The light of Vee's blue-violet eyes lingered inside his eyelids like the sun, burning into his retinas, into his brain. And under her gaze and the roar of the crowd, Tia's lips on his burned just as fiercely.

A sudden gush of ice-cold water in his face startled Mack out of his stupor. He opened his eyes just as Tia pulled away from him, cursing and spluttering along with her sister. Red was backed up against the fence, his hose poised above his cab and still dripping. He looked downright embarrassed.

"Rrrrrrrrr!" Mia growled, drying her windshield off with her wipers and glaring up at Red. "You stay away from me, you - you - RRRRRR!" and on that note she turned sharply, knocking over her and Red's sodas as she pushed her way through the crowd and hurried toward the exit. The crowd laughed as they watched her go, even though most of them were soaked too. Among them were Flo, Ramone, Lightning, Sally, Luigi, Guido, Mater and, of course, Vee. Mack looked away from her quickly, but he did not fail to notice that, in spite of being a sopping wet witness to his kiss with Tia, she was laughing too. And yet, that astonished look in her eyes could not be forgotten.

Mack felt something brush past him and looked down to see Tia following her sister out of the lot. _Not even a "good night"…_

"Dude, you look like you been burned!" Ramone teased him. "That Tia's one hot tamale!" Before Mack could say anything, the low rider was already speaking to Red. "Aw, hey man, don't worry about it! Happens to every man. Just let 'er dry off and she'll be back. You wait and see!"

The crowd began to disperse. Looking pointedly down at his hood, Mack made his way carefully around the other cars and headed toward the exit, dropping his and Tia's cups in the trash can on the way out. He barely made it out into the street before he heard someone calling his name. Mack turned to see Vee catch up with him.

"Hey," she said, offering a casual smile.

"Hey," he replied, trying to smile back. The two stood silently for a long moment.

"So, what happened?" Vee asked.

"What happened with what?"

"With Mia."

"You mean Tia."

"Whatever. What happened?"

Mack blushed. "Um, well - you saw what happened." He looked away.

"I saw you locking lips with her, if that's what you mean," Vee said matter-of-factly.

"Astute observation, Miss Vroom," Mack grumbled. "But just to clarify, _she_ was the one doing the lip-locking, not me."

Vee nodded. "I figured. I could see you were too busy having engine failure to be the one who started it." Mack smirked at her, but said nothing. Several seconds passed. "So… I guess she wasn't what you were hoping for, huh?"

Mack looked at Vee curiously. In her eyes he could still see her shock when she watched Tia kissing him. He looked down at the pavement and mumbled, "Not even close." He felt something touch his tire and looked up again to find Vee's tire on his.

"You deserve better than her, anyway," she told him, smiling. "And she deserves… well, I'm not gonna say since there's a lady present." Mack glanced around, but they were alone in the street. One look at Vee's teasing grin and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, uh… where's Mater?" he asked.

"Oh, he's still inside with Mr. McQueen. They were talking about going tractor tipping, but I told 'em it would have to wait till I got my brakes fixed." Mack nodded, but said nothing. A moment later Lightning and Mater came out of the drive-in.

"Hey Mack, Miss Vee," Mater greeted them. "Me an' Lightnin' are gonna go set off firecrackers on Sarge's lawn. Care tuh join us?"

Mack shook his hood. "No thanks. I think I'm gonna turn in early tonight." Mater looked disappointed, then quickly turned a hopeful smile on Vee.

"Tempting, but… I think I'm gonna turn in too," she told him.

Mater practically deflated at this news. "Awww, all right then. Ah guess me 'n' Lightnin' are gonna hafta work solo tonight. Tell ya what: Ah'm gonna set off some extra ones fer you two! Sarge'll never know what hit 'im!"

Vee chuckled. "Thanks, Mater. Give him hell for me!"

"Now that Ah knows how tuh do!" Mater replied with a proud grin.

"C'mon, Mater!" Lightning said as he took off down the road. Mater started to follow, but stopped and turned back to Vee.

"Hey, Ah had a real good time with ya, Miss Vee," he told her.

"Me too," Vee replied, smiling.

"Thanks fer bein' mah escort this evening. See ya later!" and with a quick bow he took off after Lightning. Mack watched him go, then looked down at Vee curiously. She shrugged.

"Just a coincidence," she said. "Nobody knows except you, and I intend to keep it that way." Mack nodded. He didn't blame her. It had been hard enough for her to confide in him, and he was her best friend.

"So… what do you want to do now?" Vee asked him.

Mack sighed. "I dunno. I'm kinda tired. I think I _will _turn in early after all."

"Oh," Vee replied, and he did not miss the look of disappointment on her face. "Okay then. I guess I will, too." She turned away slowly, and looked back at him in her mirror. "Good night, Mack."

Mack lifted a tire as she turned away, then dropped it. "Good night," he answered quietly, and watched her drive off slowly toward the clinic. He sighed heavily as her taillights faded into the darkness. Then slowly, reluctantly, turned and drove off in the opposite direction toward his home.

* * *

_A/N: So… how was that? Comments, please! And don't forget to check out the illustration for this chapter on DeviantArt! Link is in my profile._


	14. Sheriff's Grudge

_A/N: Okay people, I'm gonna need more reviews this time! I thought the last chapter would've gotten a lot more reviews by now, as scandalous as it was. Well, maybe this one will do better. It's a tad more scandalous, and we all like a little scandal, don't we? _

_If you're still following this story, that must mean you like it somewhat, and if you like it somewhat, please let me know! Reviews are very helpful and greatly appreciated. I will be more than happy to answer them all personally from now on, especially any reviews containing questions (as long as the answer isn't a spoiler). _

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:  
SHERIFF'S GRUDGE

Sheriff parked outside Doc's clinic, idling to keep warm in the early morning chill. He did not have long to wait. The old Hornet pulled up shortly after and frowned slightly upon seeing him. "Morning, Sheriff," he said, the little warmth in his greeting escaping in a misty puff of breath. He moved toward the clinic door and paused in the act of unlocking it. "What brings you here at this hour? Normally I have to drag you in here for your checkups."

"I need to use your phone," Sheriff replied gruffly, without returning his greeting. "Galdarn scanner's gone haywire and I need to run that Chrysler's VIN number." Doc narrowed his eyes. "Of course," he replied, not bothering to hide his distaste. He unlocked the door, pushed it halfway open, and peeked inside. Just as he'd suspected, Vee was fast asleep. Doc shut the door quietly and turned back to Sheriff.

"Can it wait a little while? Miss Vroom's still asleep and I'd rather not wake her right now. Which reminds me…" without further explanation, Doc turned and drove off down the road. He headed for Sarge's Surplus Hut, where the veteran jeep was preparing to raise his flag and play "Reveille." Sheriff smirked, then turned and snuck carefully into the clinic.

In the dim morning light filtering through the windows, he studied the sleeping Chrysler. Vee twitched and mumbled in her sleep, and the squad car moved in closer to hear her better. It was hard to tell in the gloom, but he was almost certain that she looked upset. Her full lips quivered and formed silent words before she spoke again, this time more clearly.

"N-no. I don't… I can't… please…" This was followed by a whimper, like that of a frightened child, as Vee struggled against the invisible bonds of a nightmare. Curious, Sheriff moved even closer. Vee whimpered some more, then suddenly her eyes shot open and she screamed. Sheriff jumped back, startled. Her eyes, still glazed with sleep, narrowed in a deadly glare. With a roar of her engine she lurched forward, attacking him. Sheriff shoved her back and pinned her against a metal cabinet. The cabinet door buckled and several tools and parts from within spilled out onto the floor. Vee struggled against him, yelling incoherently and beating at him with her tires. "No! No! No! It's a lie! You bastard!" was all Sheriff could make out, along with a few obscenities and the name Slade, shouted repeatedly.

"Calm down!" he ordered. "You'll wake the whole dang town! Miss Vroom -" but Vee couldn't be calmed. She shook her hood fiercely, gnashing her teeth and growling. One good swipe with her tire and she managed to crack one of Sheriff's headlights. If he hadn't been having such a hard time holding her down, he probably would've struck her back. Vee's violent struggle was causing the cabinet she was pinned against to crush like a beer can.

"HEY! WHAT IN FORD'S NAME IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" boomed a loud voice. A light flicked on above. Sheriff let go of Vee and turned to find Doc standing in the doorway, looking livid. The still-sleeping Vee took that opportunity to make a break for it. She dove toward the door, straight toward Doc. She struck him hard in the face with an earsplitting crash of metal. Being a more sturdily built vehicle than a Chrysler, Doc sustained little more than some mild dents in his fender and grille. Vee practically bounced off him. Wide awake now, she gave a loud cry and looked around, panic in her eyes.

"Wha - where am - wh-what the hell - why -?" she gasped, breathless and trembling. Doc drove toward her and placed a firm tire on her side. "Ssshhhh. It's all right. Calm down, Miss Vroom. You're okay. You're safe. There's no one here to hurt you." He flashed an icy glare at Sheriff as he said this that caused the squad car to cringe. Doc turned to face him fully. "Now," he said, in a voice colder than his glare, "would you care to explain to me what you were doing coming into my clinic, without my permission, and harassing my patient, when I thought I made it perfectly clear NOT to?"

Sheriff matched Doc's glare with one of his own. "First of all," he growled, "I did _not_ harass her! I merely came in to get out of the cold when she went crazy and attacked me! I was defending myself, in case you hadn't been paying attention. Just look what she did to my headlight! Second of all," he continued, flashing Vee an even colder glare, "something's obviously wrong with her. Keeps going psycho on everyone. She did it to you when you were fixin' her, and now she's done it to me! And don't you dare give me any of your 'collision trauma' BS. That ain't it at all! There's something very wrong with that girl. Something no amount of fixing's ever gonna cure. She's trouble. Mark my words."

For a long moment, the three vehicles exchanged troubled looks. Then Vee, who was still trembling, spoke up. "W-what's he talking about?" she asked Doc, her voice frail. Before he could answer her, Sheriff growled. "Don't play dumb with us! You know very well what you did, and you're paying for my headlight, you hear me?"

Vee frowned at him. "What -" she started, then stopped when she noticed his damaged headlight. "Are you saying _I_ did that?"

Sheriff smirked. "What do you think?" he growled. He pulled forward until he was face to face with her, ignoring Doc's protests as he spoke. "I don't know what kind of stunt you're trying to pull here, but I ain't buying it. You can yell and scream for Slade all you want, but I -"

"What did you say?" Vee interrupted, staring at Sheriff in shock.

"You heard me," he growled. "Now I don't know who Slade is, but I'll bet he's -"

Vee gasped. "Slade?" Her eyes widened in fear and she backed away, bumping into the half-crushed cabinet. "W-where is he?" she asked, trembling even harder. Doc approached her, looking concerned. "There's no one here by that name," he said softly. Vee looked at him doubtfully. "Then how does he know -?" she asked, nodding toward Sheriff. Doc gave him a questioning look.

"She was yellin' it in her sleep," he explained. "Right before she went psycho on me."

Doc met her frightened gaze. "I seem to remember you saying that name after your crash. You woke up on the lift and panicked. I couldn't make out much of what you were yelling except 'Slade' and 'leave me alone.' Took some time to calm you down, but you don't remember that, do you?"

Vee shook her hood. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. Her eyes darted to Sheriff, who was still frowning at her, then back to Doc. His gaze was so intense that she dropped her eyes to her hood, blushing. She gave a fluttery sigh that sounded more like a sob, then startled slightly when she felt something brush her tire. She looked at Doc again.

"Vee," he said gently, and she knew it was his tire pressed soothingly against hers. "Who is Slade?" Vee's engine skipped at the sound of that name.

"H-he was my employer," she replied. "Back when I worked at… well, my last job, anyway." A resounding silence fell over the clinic, and it quickly became obvious that Vee did not wish to discuss the matter further. After several seconds, Sheriff cleared his throat.

"If you'll excuse me, I've got a phone call to make," he said. Doc moved aside grudgingly as the squad car drove over to his desk to use the phone. Vee pointedly avoided his glare as he recited her VIN number into the receiver. She looked down at the floor and noticed for the first time the mess she had made. She reached out a tire to gather up some sparkplugs.

"Don't worry about that," Doc told her, shooing her away. "I've got it." She watched as he started picking things up.

"No," she said firmly, snatching a socket wrench out from under his tire. "I made this mess, and I'll clean it up." Stunned by her determination, Doc smiled and stood back, allowing her to do the job.

Meanwhile, Sheriff was taking down the info he'd received on Vee. "Yes. Interesting," he muttered. His eyes roamed past his notes and settled on something on the far side of the desk. "Hold on a sec," he said, then reached over and pulled the bent license plate closer so he could read it. "I've got something else I need you to check," he said over the phone. "It's the number on that plate that Chrysler was wearing when I caught her. It ain't hers. No. It's a truck plate. Yeah. California. Here, lemme give you the number…"

When Vee had gathered up all the tools and parts, she turned around to put them away. She nearly dropped everything when she saw the damaged cabinet. "Oh my Dodge," she whispered. "Doc, I am SO sorry! I didn't -"

"It's all right," he assured her. "Just put everything on the counter for now. I'll sort it out later."

Vee obeyed, then turned to him with a guilty face. "I'll work it off," she announced, and it wasn't a question. Doc opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "I insist," she said firmly. "You've done far too much for me already. I owe you, and I will repay you. I promise."

For a moment, it looked like Doc was going to argue, but when he opened his mouth again, all that came out was a sigh, followed by a smile. "Well, I could always use an assistant," he said, and Vee returned his smile tenfold.

"Goodbye!" Sheriff said, then hung up the phone. He turned to Doc and Vee, looking quite pleased. Doc narrowed his eyes at him.

"Well?" he said gruffly. "What did they say?" He knew whatever it was would not bode well for Vee.

Sheriff's grille twitched as he appeared to hide a grin. "Well, I ran that plate number. Turns out it belongs to a pickup in L.A. name of Slade Ford." He flashed Vee a glance before continuing. "Man's self-employed. Runs a little business called _Ford's Escorts._" There was no mistaking the emphasis Sheriff put on the last two words. Doc frowned and Vee shivered. Sheriff smirked. "I also ran Miss Vroom's VIN number and - are you ready for this? - she's wanted for prostitution in California."

Vee felt herself sinking to the floor. Sheriff was looming over her, suddenly much larger and more sinister-looking than ever. But he was not looking at her. He was looking at Doc. Vee forced herself to look at the Hornet and when she did so, she was surprised to see the anger in his eyes - eyes that were glaring heatedly at Sheriff and not her. Not to be discouraged by this, the squad car continued to grin self-righteously. Then he turned and smirked at Vee.

"Now all the pieces are falling into place," he said. His haughty tone and smile made Vee want to punch out his other headlight. He moved closer to her and lowered his voice, though Doc could still hear him. "I think it's only fair to warn you: prostitution's illegal in this state, too."

Vee glowered at the squad car and rose up on her axles, making herself look as big as possible. "I am NOT a prostitute," she growled, in a voice dripping with venom. Sheriff looked intimidated, but only for a moment. He gave her a patronizing smile.

"No, you're an _escort_," he said, his tone matching his smile. "Which is just another fancy word for _prostitute_."

"No!" Vee growled. "There's a big difference!"

Sheriff snorted. "Oh yeah? Tell me then, do you charge men for sexual favors?"

"Sheriff!" Doc growled, but the squad car ignored him. He continued to match glares with Vee, who finally flinched at his question.

"Well, do you?" Vee didn't have to answer him. The look in her eyes before she cast them to the floor told him what he wanted to know. Sheriff smirked. "I thought so. Sorry, _madam, _but that makes you a prostitute. And as you're wanted on prostitution charges, I'm afraid it's my duty to -"

"Lay one tread on her and you'll regret it!" Doc growled, placing himself between them. Sheriff frowned.

"Why do you care about some snot-nosed little hooker?" he demanded.

"Why don't _you_ care?" Doc retorted. "Why are you so determined to find fault with her?"

For a moment, it seemed that Sheriff was at a loss for words. His mouth opened and closed several times, but nothing came out. Then with a scowl he said, "I know trouble when I see it. Don't say I didn't warn you when all hell breaks loose." And with those words he turned and exited the clinic. Doc and Vee stared after him, silent.

Mack was just about to knock on the clinic door when Sheriff burst out, growling to himself. He didn't appear to notice the big rig as he took to the street and disappeared down the road. Mack stared after him, curious, then shrugged and knocked on the door. Doc answered it immediately.

"Oh hello, Mack," he said, though Mack sensed something off in his greeting. The Hornet seemed troubled. "Here to see Miss Vroom, I take it?"

"Yeah. She awake?"

Before Doc could answer him, Vee appeared at the clinic door, offering her friend a meek smile. Mack smiled back. "Hey, Vee. Join me for breakfast?"

Vee's smile faded as she glanced sideways at Doc. "Go ahead," he said, then backed slowly into the clinic. "We'll talk later." At Vee's worried expression he smiled. "There's a lot you'll need to know if you want to be my assistant," he explained, and her smile returned. "But there'll be plenty of time to talk about that after breakfast." Vee sighed inwardly with relief, then rolled slowly outside. "Thanks, Doc," she said, then pulled up beside Mack as the two headed down the street to Flo's.

"What did I miss this time?" Mack asked teasingly. Vee chuckled and told him everything that had gone on in the clinic that morning. They parked at the far side of the lot, Vee just under the awning and Mack beside her. Mack saw something red out of the corner of his eye and looked over to see Tia driving toward him. The two made eye-contact and Mack blushed slightly, remembering last night. She must have been thinking the same thing because the moment their eyes met, Tia blushed also and turned to her sister, nudging her hard and whispering to her.

Mack watched them curiously. "No! I can't! _You_ do it!" he heard Tia whisper loudly, as Mia argued with her. With a frustrated sigh, Mia soon gave in. Tia returned to the café while her twin approached Mack with a smile. "Don't mind Tia," she said loftily. "She thinks she likes you, but she doesn't, really." Her smile turned into a smirk when she glanced at Vee. Vee smirked back. "So! What can I get you this morning?" Mia chirped, looking back at Mack.

"Eh, the usual," Mack replied. Mia nodded and turned to Vee, smirk once again in place. Vee gave her order, then watched the Miata cruise back to the café. "I think they're on to me," she told Mack, who gave her a puzzled look.

"Huh?" was his only reply. He followed her gaze to the café door, where both girls now stood whispering back and forth and shooting occasional glances in Vee's direction. "What, you don't think they actually know about…? Because I certainly didn't tell anyone!"

"I know you didn't," Vee answered, turning away from the café and looking up at Mack. "But Doc knows. And Sheriff."

Mack nodded. "Yeah well, I'm sure Doc wouldn't -"

"Gooooooood mornin', Miss Vee!" said a cheerful voice. Vee and Mack both smiled to see Mater.

"Morning, Mater," Vee replied. Her smile faded as his did and she looked at him curiously. "Something wrong?"

Mater blushed and looked down at the ground. "Aw well, Ah don't know how tuh tell ya this, but… Ah jist heard a nasty rumor 'bout ya, Miss Vee."

"Oh? And what might that be?" she asked him calmly, though she was quite certain she already knew the answer.

Mater scuffed the ground with a tire. "Uhhh, well, Ah ain't the kinda vehicle tuh go 'round spreadin' rumors, no matter what -"

"It's okay, Mater," Vee assured him. "If it's about me, I'm bound to hear it sooner or later. Just tell me already."

"All right, but jist 'tween you an' me, Ah don't believe a word of it!" Mater glanced nervously around the café lot, then edged in close to Vee and lowered his voice. Mack leaned in closer to hear. "_Someone_ jist got done tellin' me you're one o' them, uh, you know…" he blushed, dropping his voice even lower, "…rental cars."

Even though they'd been expecting it, both Mack and Vee were still surprised by Mater's revelation. After a moment, Vee shook her hood and laughed. "I've been called a lot of things, but that one tops 'em all!"

Mater chuckled too. "Yeah, well, Ah knew it weren't true! Ya's too good a car tuh rent yerself out, Miss Vee. Ol' Sheriff must still be sore at ya fer outrunnin' 'im the other night!" Mater drove off laughing, not noticing that Vee was no longer laughing herself.

Mack looked down at Vee, who was watching Mater drive away. She sighed. Mack brushed a tire against hers. She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "Better than him knowing the truth," she said, looking away again, this time letting her eyes roam around the lot, taking in the breakfast crowd. Mack tried to smile back, but knew it wouldn't be sincere. The next few minutes were spent in silence. Mack only looked up when Mia appeared before them with their orders. At that moment, he spotted Sheriff going around a corner and frowned.

"I wonder who jammed a potato up his tailpipe," Mack grumbled.

Vee shrugged. "Eh, who cares? He's no different from the cops in L.A., and I know how to deal with them." She took a sip of her coffee and sighed. "Although I think Mater has the right idea when it comes to guys like that." Mack looked down at her and she grinned wickedly. "I just hope he has some firecrackers left over, 'cuz I'm gonna need them!"

* * *

_Don't forget to check out chapter illustrations at DeviantArt! Link is in my profile. If for some reason you're having trouble accessing it, just let me know._


	15. Hot Potato

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:  
HOT POTATO

A set of socket wrenches sat gleaming on the counter, closely studied by Vee. She'd already spent the good part the morning trying to understand their functions and sizes alone. "Okay, so that's a twelve-point socket, three-quarters in size, and this one's an eight-point, half-inch size?"

"You were almost right that time," Doc said with a smile. "Try switching them around. _This_ one's the eight-point. See? Eight-points only fit square heads."

"Oh, right. But doesn't the twelve-point fit square heads too?"

"Yes, but it also fits hexagonal heads."

Vee gave a frustrated sigh. "Gah, can this possibly get any more confusing?"

Doc chuckled. "It can and probably will before we get through with all of this. There's a lot to know if you're going to work in a clinic."

Vee sighed again and glared down at the socket wrenches. Doc stifled another chuckle at the determined look on her face. It reminded him of a certain rookie's expression as he neared the finish line. "You know, you don't have to do this," he told her, but Vee shook her hood.

"Yes I do," she said fiercely, without looking at him. She glared at the nearest wrench, her mouth set in a thin, firm line. Doc regarded her curiously for a moment, but decided it best not to press the matter further. He returned to his desk to organize some files, leaving her alone. A few minutes passed in silence save for the shuffling of papers and the clinking of metal as Vee rearranged the wrenches on the counter.

Doc glanced up at the clock, then over at Vee. "If you want to take a break for a while, that's fine," he said.

"Oh no, that's okay," Vee replied, turning to face him. She looked up at the clock. It was 11:10 am.

Doc looked at her curiously. "You wouldn't rather spend time with Mack?" he asked. Vee blushed slightly and chuckled.

"Well sure, but he said he had some things to take care of," she explained. "He said he'd be done in time for lunch though, so if I can just hang out here till noon…?"

"Of course," Doc replied. "I usually close for lunch anyway since Flo's is right across the street. It pays to stay close by in case there's an emergency," he added with a wink. Vee chuckled and nodded in agreement, remembering her wreck the other day. Though the details were still foggy, she'd been recalling more and more over the past two days.

"Well, I think we've both had enough of socket wrenches for one day," Doc went on, driving toward the counter where they were still spread out. "How about we move on to sparkplugs and — " he was interrupted by a groaning noise and a loud swear from outside.

Doc and Vee turned in unison toward the open door to see Sheriff crossing the threshold, looking very agitated. His engine was groaning and sputtering, and his eyes were squinted as though he were in pain. He hissed and growled curses through gritted teeth. Doc looked mildly concerned. "What in Ford's name is the matter with you?" he demanded, a tinge of amusement in his voice. Sheriff glared daggers at him before answering.

"Ask _them!_" he hissed, indicating the three vehicles standing outside. Doc looked past him to see Mack, Mater and Ramone just outside the doorway, all wearing identical smirks and snickering. The Hornet said nothing; the look he gave them, though not demanding, was question enough.

"It weren't our fault!" Mater said sheepishly as he scuffed the ground with a tire. "We was jist havin' some good clean fun is all." Doc raised an eyebrow.

"We were playing Hot Potato," Mack explained. His eyes darted toward Vee and both had to bite their lips to suppress a grin. "Then Sheriff came along and told us to stop playing that stupid game and get out of the street, so we did."

"Then he done took our tater away," Mater said sadly.

"Yeah man, so we asked him to give it back," Ramone added, "but he wouldn't, so we tried to _take_ it back!"

"All three of you?" Doc asked in surprise.

"Tha's right!" Mater beamed. "We was havin' more fun tryin' tuh get it back than we was tossin' it around!"

Doc stared at Mater expectantly. "And?"

Mater blushed. "And, well…" he trailed off, looking up at Mack.

"And, well… it kinda sorta ended up… uhhh…" Mack tried, but gave up and blushed like Mater.

Sheriff growled, his face contorting with a mixture of rage and pain. "Get to the point!" he snapped.

Ramone snickered at the two trucks. "Dude, you guys are lame!" He turned to Doc. "Don't ask me how, but things got real crazy and somehow that potato got shoved up Sheriff's tailpipe!"

It took all of Vee's resolve not to laugh out loud at that. The snicker that escaped her was masked by those of the three vehicles at the door. Even Doc appeared to be fighting the urge to laugh.

"It is NOT funny!" Sheriff fumed, rounding on the three men. "Not in the least! As soon as I get that infernal thing out of there I'm throwing all three of you in impound!"

"Aw, come on Sheriff," Doc said a little too cheerfully, and the squad car glared at him. "It sounds to me like it was an accident. These boys were out playing a harmless game and you spoiled their fun. If anyone should be punished, it's you."

Sheriff's jaw dropped. "How can you side with these hooligans?" he demanded.

Doc shrugged. "I'm a judge," he said simply. "Justice isn't sweet for everyone, you know."

This time Vee allowed herself to laugh. Sheriff glared daggers at her. "I don't doubt _you_ had something to do with this too!" he growled at her.

"Miss Vroom's been here the whole time," Doc argued. "How could she have had anything to do with it?"

"You don't have to be present to mastermind a crime!" Sheriff countered. Doc smirked. "Now are you going to get this dagummed potato out of me, or do I have to sit here till my engine dies?"

Doc sighed. "All right, all right. Go get on the lift." He turned away. "Okay, I'm going to need a C-clamp, a pint of Valvoline and some sterilized -"

"Who're you talking to?" the squad car demanded as he parked on the lift.

Doc turned to him. "I'm speaking to Miss Vroom. She's my assistant," he said as he pressed the button to start the lift.

"WHAT?!" Sheriff roared. He quickly backed off the lift, which was already two feet up. He hit the floor hard and tried to back out of the clinic, but the guys were blocking the door.

Doc looked at him in surprise. "Is there something wrong?"

"You bet your ass there is!" He glared at Vee. "Her! I don't want _her_ in here! Get rid of her!" His engine was rasping now as he started to choke on his own exhaust.

"This is no time for modesty, Sheriff."

"I'm not being modest, I'm being serious! Get one of the boys to help you! Anyone in town! But not her!"

With a smirk, Doc turned to face the three at the door. Mater and Ramone sped off, leaving Mack behind.

"I'd be happy to help," said the semi, returning Doc's smirk, "that is if you wouldn't mind raising the doorframe a few feet so I can come in." Vee grinned at him.

Doc turned back to Sheriff. "Well, looks like you've got no choice."

"The hell I don't!" Sheriff fumed. "I have the right to refuse treatment!"

"Now you're just being ridiculous! Listen, the longer you leave that potato in there, the sicker you're going to get. Look at yourself! You're in no shape to complain. I need Miss Vroom's help with this procedure and you're just going to have to accept that. Now get back on the lift!"

The look Sheriff gave Doc just then would have chilled any other car's oil. His engine revved viciously, then sputtered and groaned. The squad car looked ready to burst, though whether it was more from outrage or pain, it was impossible to say. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, letting it out in a loud hiss through clenched teeth.

"Fine!" he growled. He pulled forward again, practically crawling as the pressure from exhaust buildup was killing his engine. He barely made it onto the lift. Doc hit the switch again and it rose.

"Vee, get the door, will you?" Doc asked. Vee nodded and drove to the threshold.

"I might be a little late for lunch," she told Mack with a wink. Mack chuckled.

"No problemo!" he replied. "I'll wait for ya."

Vee closed the door to the clinic and went to gather up the tools Doc needed.

Mack was just about to go over to Flo's when he heard a loud swear come from inside the clinic. He paused, listening at the door.

"Calm down, Sheriff!" Doc was saying. "This won't hurt a bit if you just -"

"You keep that thing away from me!" Sheriff yelled back. There was a metallic clattering sound, like tools being dropped, followed by more swears. Mack glanced sideways to see Mater and Ramone approach, curious about the noise. He grinned at them and nodded toward the door, then leaned in closer to listen.

"Argh! Chrysler, that's cold!" Sheriff complained, then gasped so loud it could be heard through the door. "Don't ever touch me there again!" he roared, and the boys outside snickered. It wasn't long before Lightning and Sally spotted the small crowd outside the clinic and went to check it out.

"Hey guys!" Lightning called out to them. "What's going on?"

Mater turned to him with a grin. "Why, didn't ya hear? Mack jabbed a tater up Sheriff's tailpipe an' now he's in there with Doc 'n' Miss Vee tryin' tuh git it out!"

Lightning burst out laughing at that. Sally nudged him hard and he shut up, though it was obvious she was trying hard not to laugh herself.

"Ssshhhh!" Ramone hissed. "Listen, you guys!"

There were scuffling sounds coming from within the clinic, like that of a struggle taking place. Then a string of swears that made everyone outside blush. Then suddenly a loud bang, like a small explosion, which caught the attention of the rest of the town. In moments the entire population of Radiator Springs was gathered outside Doc's clinic, listening intently to the mayhem within.

"No! No more! It's out! Okay? So just leave me alone!" Everyone leaned in closer as Doc muttered something they couldn't make out. Whatever he said was met with a laugh from Vee.

"A sample of _what_?" Sheriff yelled. "You gotta be kidding me! All I wanted was to get that dad-blasted potato out of me! Why do you need me to drain my… hell no! I'm not doing _that_ in front of her!" His words were punctuated by a loud thud, then the roar of an engine. "That tears it! I'm outta here!"

And without warning the clinic door burst open, hitting both Ramone and Lightning in the face as a very irate and red-faced squad car zipped past. Sheriff took one look at the crowd and went from red to white in one point five seconds. Then he slammed on his accelerator and went from zero to sixty just as fast, vanishing in a cloud of dust.

Mack watched him go, laughing out loud with the rest of the townsfolk as they dispersed. He turned back to the clinic to see Vee standing in the doorway. Her grin was infectious. She rolled forward slightly, and with a flick of a tire a potato appeared out of nowhere. "Here's your potato back," she said, still grinning as she flipped it toward him. "Careful, it's hot!"

"All right!" Mater cheered. Mack kicked it toward him and he caught it eagerly, then dropped it. "Ow! She weren't kiddin'! Hey Ramone, we's got ourselves a _real _hot puh-tater now! Here, catch!" The tow truck tossed it to Ramone, who sent it back to Mack. Vee rolled out of the clinic and joined the game.

"Next time see if you can't cram it in a bit further!" she told him, and the two shared a good laugh as they continued to pass the potato back and forth on their way to Flo's.

* * *

_Reviews, pretty pretty please! Chapter art? You bet! Where? Same place as always!_


	16. Boot Camp

_And now, without further adieu… the much-anticipated boot camp chapter! Yay! I know a lot of you are probably shocked by such a quick update. I shocked myself by writing this chapter so fast. It also helped that the art for it was done a while back. XP_

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:  
BOOT CAMP

It was four minutes to noon and Radiator Springs was a ghost town. Just a few miles down the road, a crowd had gathered. Sarge's SUV Boot Camp had never seen such a high turnout before, though not a single one of them was there to run the course. There was a small rise upon which most of the residents had parked in order to get a good view. Down below, between two large boulders that marked the starting line, Sarge was pacing back and forth, grumbling to himself.

"…the nerve to pull that kind of stunt on me! Thinks she's got what it takes… stuck-up little hussy… thinks I'm gonna wait for her… to hell with her!…"

Nearby, Mack could hear every word. Several times he opened his mouth to say something in Vee's defense, but let it drop, knowing it would only lead to another pointless argument with the uptight Jeep. Sheriff, on the other hand, was inclined to agree with Sarge. He watched him pace, smirking now and then at something he said. Up on the rise, the rest of the crowd was abuzz with quiet conversation.

"Yeah man, I'm puttin' my money on that Vroom babe," Ramone said confidently.

"That best not be any of MY money you're betting!" Flo warned him.

"Naw babe, it's just a figure of speech! I ain't really betting on her. I'm just sayin' I think she's got a good chance at winning!" Ramone assured her before whispering to Luigi, "Don't worry, dude. I'll see your fifty."

Luigi nodded and turned to Guido, and the two conversed in Italian. "Guido says he will-a not match-a your wager, he will-a _double _it!"

"What?" Ramone yelped, jumping up on his hydraulics. "No way, ese! I ain't got that kinda money!"

"Sssuuurrre you do," Lightning said smoothly, nodding toward Flo. Ramone stared at him as though he were crazy.

"Are you kidding? She'd kill me if I asked for another fifty!"

Lightning snorted. "You didn't ask for the fifty you have now, did you?"

Ramone blushed and lowered himself. "Eh, not exactly, no…"

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is if that chick loses, I won't be out a hundred bucks, I'll be out TWO!"

"Ah ain't got no money," Mater said, "but I'd bet mah own left lug nuts Miss Vee's gonna win!" Then he whispered to Lightning, "Them's mah lucky ones!"

"If they're so lucky, maybe you should let her borrow them," Lightning replied. "She'll need 'em to beat that record. I've tried six times and I still can't do it!"

"Ah'd lend 'em to 'er if they weren't busy holding in mah — "

"Eh, what?" Lizzie spoke up, looking around in confusion. "What movie are we watching now?"

"We're watching Vee try to beat Sarge's boot camp record, remember?" Sally explained.

Lizzie looked at the younger car in surprise. "Oh? Didn't we watch that one last week?"

Sally shook her hood and turned to Lightning. "I'm gonna grab a spot over there," she told him, gesturing toward a slightly higher rise a short distance away. "Better view." He followed her.

Mack turned to Fillmore and asked, "Aren't you worried Vee will win and you'll have to kiss Sarge?"

The bus smiled serenely. "No way, man."

"So… you don't think she'll win?"

"Actually, I think she's got a really good chance."

"But you're not worried about kissing Sarge?"

Fillmore chuckled. "Why would I worry about that?" Mack stared at him and he blushed. "Oh. Right. Uh, forget I said that. Sarge'd kill me." He looked down at the Jeep below, who had stopped pacing and was now tapping a tire on the ground impatiently.

Sarge growled as he watched the entrance to the camp. "WHERE IS SHE?" he exploded. "IT'S TWELVE O'CLOCK NOW!"

"There she is!" Sheriff pointed a tire. Everyone at the camp turned in unison to see Vee driving up the trail with Doc close behind.

"You're late!" Sarge barked in lieu of a hello.

Vee snorted. "Ooh, twenty seconds! Sorry I wasted such a huge chunk of your life, Major Killjoy."

"Twenty-THREE seconds! It's that kind of attitude that keeps better cars than you from breaking the record!"

"Don't get so bent out of shape, Sarge," Doc warned. "Miss Vroom's only late because of me. I had a little trouble installing her brake pads." Vee smirked at the Hornet's choice of words. Truth be told, he'd nearly refused to install them once he found out about the wager she'd made with Sarge. It had taken some time to convince him to trust her, and by the look on his face, the whole trust issue was still up in the air.

"Now then, perhaps you'd better fill me in on the details," Doc addressed Sarge, who nodded and turned so that he was facing everyone present.

"The record time for completing twenty laps on this course is thirty-eight minutes and fifty-two seconds!" he said loudly, his voice echoing off the walls of the canyon surrounding them. He jabbed a tire at Vee. "Miss Vroom thinks she can do it in thirty-five flat, which any vehicle with half an engine block would know is ludicrous! But enough stalling!" he rounded on Vee, his eyes narrowed and his voice dropping to a growl, "I've been waiting for three days to watch you blow it, and I am not going to wait another second!"

Vee just stared at him, unimpressed. Sarge snarled at her.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Christmas?"

"I'll go when I'm ready," Vee replied coolly, still staring at him. Her unfazed expression was so infuriating, Sarge could feel his oil boiling.

"That's not going to cut it around here, soldier!" he yelled in her face. "You're on MY turf now! _I_ make the rules here! Not you! When I say jump, you say 'how high?' When I say go, you don't ask questions, you go! Now _GO GO GO_!"

"Now hold on a second!" Doc cut in. "Who's timing her?"

"I am, of course!" Sarge huffed. Doc frowned.

"One's not enough. You should always have a backup timer. Now who — "

"I'm on it," Sheriff volunteered. Doc looked even more displeased.

"I'd better do it too," he sighed, then turned to Vee. "You ready?"

"Almost," she replied, looking down at the starting line as she approached it. The Chrysler stopped on the line, then backed up.

"I really hope you know what you're doing," Doc mumbled, just out of earshot of Sarge and Sheriff.

"Believe it or not, I do," Vee replied, then whispered something to him that made his bumper curl into a grin.

"Oh!" Doc chuckled. "Well in that case…" he turned to face the crowd as Vee got into position. "Are we all clear on the rules?" He was met with murmurs of agreement. "All right. Now, as per Sarge's terms, Miss Vroom must complete twenty laps around this course within thirty-five minutes! Is that correct?" he asked, glancing at Sarge.

"It is," growled the Jeep. "Now enough stalling! I'm here to see some blood, sweat and tears, not another courtroom drama!"

Doc smirked at Sarge, but did not argue. He turned back to Vee, returning her wink as she switched into reverse and backed away from the starting line. Sarge glared at her.

"What does she think she's doing?" he demanded of Doc. "The starting line's right here!" he yelled at Vee, slamming a tire down on the weathered old rope that served as the line. He gave up quickly and grumbled to himself. "She'll lose for sure if she backs up any further!"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Doc asked him, giving him a smug sideways glance. Sarge snorted and turned away. Vee was nearly a hundred yards away from the starting line before she finally stopped. Up on the rise, everyone was watching in shock and confusion. Many last-minute wagers were being made, all against her. The only vehicle who didn't seem at all surprised was Mack, but nobody noticed his smile.

"On your mark!" Doc shouted, and the canyon fell deathly silent. "Get set!" All eyes were on Vee now. "GO!"

With a squeal of tires and a cloud of dust, Vee took off, closing the distance she'd put between herself and the starting line in a matter of seconds. She was over it and gone around the first bend before Sarge could yell "What the hell was that?!"

"That," Doc said, smug grin back in place, "was the biggest mistake you ever made!"

Sarge was beside himself. "Wh - ME? I didn't do anything! That girl's insane! What in Ford's name was she thinking? She just lost several seconds with that stunt!"

"On the contrary," Doc argued, "she just _gained _several seconds."

Sheriff pulled up beside him. "How?" he demanded, looking almost as angry as Sarge. "She was nowhere near the starting line when you said go!"

"No," Doc agreed, "but she was right on the line when I started timing her."

"WHAT?!" Sarge roared. "You can't do that!"

"Why not? I don't recall hearing anything about it in the rules."

Sarge was livid. He bit his tongue to stifle a nasty curse and drove toward the road that went up the rise.

"I wouldn't leave just yet, Sarge!" Doc called to him, and he stopped.

"I'm not going anywhere! I'm just going up here to get a better view!" he snapped back.

"Here she comes now!" Mack shouted as Vee zoomed around the last bend. Sarge turned to glower at her as though willing her to blow a gasket. She was headed straight for him. The Jeep looked down and realized with a start that he was right over the finish line - and directly in her path. He started to back away but it was too late. Eyes wide and frozen in panic, Sarge watched as Vee smirked at him before turning all four wheels sharply and braking. She stopped just inches away, showering him with a thick spray of gravel and dust.

Coughing and growling, Sarge fanned the dust away with a tire and glared at Vee. There was fire in her own eyes as well, but it was the smile on her face that roused his curiosity.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded gruffly. There was a smile on his face too, though it was not a pleasant one. "Don't look at me like that! The course is out there! You're wasting your time, soldier! Get going!"

"I'm done," Vee said calmly and turned away from him. Sarge stared after her, temporarily stunned. Then he shook his hood and started after her.

"What do you mean you're done? You've only done one lap! The deal was twenty laps! Giving up already, are you? Ready to admit defeat, huh? You're pathetic!"  
Vee braked so suddenly that Sarge nearly rear-ended her. She swung around to face him, but instead of the "How dare you!" look he would have expected from her, she actually looked rather amused. When she didn't speak, Sarge continued.

"I'd normally add another twenty for that kind of attitude, but in your case I'll make an exception," he said, his voice growing husky as he inched closer to her. "That is, if you're willing to pay up."

Vee stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. Sarge glared at her as she turned away and spoke to Doc.

"So how'd I do?" she asked.

"Not bad," Doc replied with a smile. "One minute and thirty-one seconds. Keep it up and you'll beat the record easily!"

"Oh no she won't!" Sarge cut in. "She's only done _one_ lap so far and now she's wasting her time idling around!"

"Don't worry, Major Pain," Vee purred. "I'll finish your course. Eventually."

Sarge growled. "If you're trying to play some kind of mind game with me…"

"I don't play mind games," Vee growled back. "I play _real_ games. And I follow the rules _to the letter_."

"Huh!" Sarge snorted. "Then would you care to explain to me why you think you can just stop and take a break between laps?"

"The rules didn't say I can't."

Sarge snorted again. "But the rules DID say that you've got to complete the course, twenty times, in thirty-five minutes or less!"

Vee grinned wickedly. "Yes, but you said nothing about having to do it all in one day."

Sarge looked ready to bite at hearing this. He flashed a deadly glare at Doc, as though this were somehow all his fault.

"Don't look at me!" Doc chuckled. "Miss Vroom's the one who spotted all the loopholes. On those technicalities, I'd have to agree with her."

"WHAT?!" Sarge roared. "THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!"

"Is it?" the Hornet smirked. He turned to face the crowd, most of whom had come down from the rise to congratulate Vee. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Sarge say anything about Miss Vroom having to complete the course in one day?" A chorus of overly cheerful no's and some snickering answered him. "That settles it," Doc said, turning back to Sarge and Vee. He looked back and forth at the two of them, giving each a very different smile.

"So, same time tomorrow for lap two?"

Vee smiled back and was about to agree when she spotted Mack at the back of the crowd. Their eyes met and they exchanged a grin. "Well actually, Mack and I were planning to go to Carburetor City tomorrow," Vee explained. "Maybe the day after?"

Doc nodded. "Sunday it is then. That is, if it's okay with Sarge…" Both the Chrysler and the Hornet turned to smile at the Jeep. Sarge scowled and grumbled something that sounded like "Fine!" before doing an about-face and tearing his way up the trail and back toward town. Vee wasn't sure, but she thought she could see steam rising from his hood.

* * *

_  
Individual chapter reviews would be most appreciated. I'd rather have a reader give me one review for each chapter than a single review for several chapters or the whole story. Unless of course that single review does sufficient coverage on its own. And of course I would rather have that one little review than none at all. Not to say that I don't appreciate all the reviews I've been getting so far. On the contrary! You've all encouraged and helped me with this story more than I can say. Thanks!_


	17. A Night To Remember

_And now for the much-awaited prom night chapter! (Yay!) But first, a quick note. (Boo!) Just FYI for those who might be curious - I've estimated that this fic will be about 35 chapters long when completed, give or take a chapter. I'm really hoping to finish it by the end of the year, though I don't exactly have the utmost confidence in myself. To be able to accomplish that I would have to post two chapters per week for the rest of the year. I'm not making any promises, but I'll see what I can do. _

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:  
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

May 18th, 1992

Mack stood outside the small house, taking a deep, calming breath before knocking on the door. An eternity seemed to pass as he waited for an answer. The door opened slowly, creaking on rusty hinges. A pair of deep violet-blue eyes shone brilliantly against the gloom within. They widened upon seeing the semi on the doorstep and the door swung open the rest of the way, revealing a lavender Chrysler covered from bumper to bumper with flowers.

Mack stared down at the girl, mouth agape. There were pink roses and purple orchids and red and white carnations and golden lilies, all arranged into individual corsages and accentuated with fern fronds, baby's breath, and various other flora. Any other car would have looked ridiculous covered with so many flowers, but the young woman standing before him was nothing short of breathtaking.

It took a long time for Mack to find his voice. "W - hey, Vee. You look… y-you look…"

"Yeah, I know. Like a mobile florist shop, right?"

"Ye - no! I mean, uh…" he swallowed. "Well, I was gonna say 'lovely,' but that works too."

Vee chuckled and drove outside.

"You're not really going to wear all of them, are you?" Mack asked as he looked her over.

"Why not? They're all so nice, and I know you went to a lot of trouble to make them for me. I wouldn't want any of 'em to go to waste." Mack smiled and blushed, inspecting his date as she turned slowly on the spot for him.

When he had asked her to the prom two weeks earlier, she had known his only hope for going to the dance hinged on her answer. Mack was painfully shy around the girls in school, with the sole exception of Vee, his best friend. Vee was just the opposite: outgoing, flirtatious and very popular with the boys. It was no secret that she had been asked to the prom by five different classmates, though she had remained undecided on who she would go with until Mack asked her during Home Ec one day. It only took a few seconds for her to decide that sure, she'd love to go with him.

"But since I'm turning down five other guys to go with you, you're gonna have to give me five corsages to make up for it!" she'd teased him.

"I'll do better than that!" Mack boasted, grinning from headlight to headlight. "Since I'm twice the man any of those other guys are, I'll give you _ten_!"

Vee laughed. "As big as you are, I'd say you're three times the man. You might have to give me fifteen corsages instead!"

"Hey, don't push it!" Mack growled, though he couldn't stop smiling.

As Vee inspected her own date, a small frown creased her carefully made-up face. "Where's your corsage?" she asked him.

Mack blushed. "W- uh, well, I uh… I guess I forgot to make one."

Vee sighed and shook her hood. "Well I sure as hell can't show up looking like this while you get off scott-free! Here." She removed one of her own corsages and affixed it to Mack's left wheel well, just above his headlight. "There! Perfect!" she announced, moving back a few feet to take him in. The pink carnation clashed with his paintjob, yet somehow suited the young truck.

"Uh, thanks," Mack mumbled, trying to hide his blush as he smiled appreciatively.

"I'd invite you in so you can look at yourself in the mirror, but - well, you know." Vee nodded upwards to indicate the top of the doorframe which, although high, stopped about a foot short of the top of Mack's cab.

Somewhat small for his eighteen years, he knew it was only a matter of time before he caught up with his big rig peers. During his senior year alone he had grown nearly a foot. He remembered the previous summer when he had been invited to Vee's house for a party. He'd still been able to fit through the door then.

"Eh, that's okay," Mack replied with a smirk. "I'm sure Robbie will tell me how ridiculous I look when we get there."

Vee chuckled and turned to close the door to her house.

"Where's your mom?"

"Oh, she left for work already," the Chrysler replied. "Boss called her in early. She wanted to see me off, but she had to be there by 5:30. You just missed her by, like, ten minutes."

"Oh." Mack nodded. "So… she's doing okay then?"

Vee shrugged. "She's been better. She's been a lot worse, too, so I can't complain. Rehab's been rough, but it's helped her a lot. Ever since Dad left, it's just been crazy around here."

"But that was two years ago, wasn't it?" Mack asked cautiously. Vee nodded. "She's still better off without him. Both of you are."

"Agreed, but try telling that to Mom. I think deep down she actually misses the bastard." Mack grunted, but said nothing. He didn't see how anyone could miss being called nasty names and getting beaten on a regular basis.

"Her new boyfriend's all right," Vee went on. "He's real mellow. Boring, actually, but at least he's not mean. He's got an annoying rattle and an oil leak, but he's too cheap to fix them, I guess. He's still a big improvement on the last guy, who was already an improvement on Dad."

Mack nodded, then cleared his throat, shuffling his tires as he stared down at his hood. It was always hard for him to listen to Vee talk about her home life, but as she was his best friend he felt it was his duty to lend an ear. All they had in common family-wise was that neither one of them had any siblings. Where Vee came from a broken home, with a stressed-out, alcoholic mother and an abusive father who had abandoned his illegitimate family, Mack had two caring and attentive parents who loved him dearly and each other just as much as they had on their wedding day.

There was a short silence between the two vehicles, punctuated by the feeble chirp of a cricket in a nearby hedge.

"So, shall we?" Vee asked, parking by his side and looking up at him expectantly.

Mack stared at her. "Shall we what?"

"Shall we get going now?"

"Oh! Right." A short pause. "Uh, isn't it a bit early?"

"Yeah, but Mandy and Robbie said they were gonna be there early, and Nate and Sheena should already be there since they're on the planning commission."

"Well, okay then. You're the expert, so lead the way," Mack teased, gesturing with a tire for Vee to pass him.

"I've only been to two other dances," Vee said as she rolled down the weed-ridden driveway toward the street. "How does that make me an expert?"

"That's two more than I've been to," Mack argued. "If anyone should know what we're doing, it's you!" He followed her down the road, eyes fixed on her back bumper, half-expecting her to brake like she often did at school. "Are those new bumper stickers?" he asked, driving closer to get a better look.

"You tell me," she said, braking suddenly. Mack bumped her lightly as he braked also. Vee looked back at him in her mirror and he met her gaze with a smirk. "What?" she chuckled. "You wanna read them, don't you?"

"Hmph!" Mack snorted to hide his own chuckle and looked down at her stickers. There were three. Mack read the first one out loud. " '_I brake for tailgaters_.' Oh, now you tell me!" He gave Vee a mock glare as she giggled. The second one read '_I'm with Stupid' _with an arrow pointing right. Mack made a mental note to stay on her left side until she changed her stickers. The last one read '_If you're going to ride my ass, at least buy me dinner first!'_ Mack blushed at that and pulled up beside Vee.

"I don't know if you should wear that one to the dance," he mumbled as they continued down the road. "You'll probably get in trouble if one of the teachers sees it."

"Which one?" Vee asked, not sounding the least bit concerned.

Mack blushed again. "You know. The one about - about, uh… dinner."

There was silence for a moment, then Vee exploded with laughter. "Yeah, I guess it's not a good idea to talk about 'dinner' at school," she said gleefully. "That kinda thing really belongs at home, but when I saw it I just couldn't resist." They kept driving.

"Hey, you never told me who else asked you out," Mack said.

"Oh. Well, Nate asked me first," Vee replied, "but only because Sheena wasn't speaking to him at the time. I think he just wanted to make her jealous. They just made up, like, two days ago. Robbie asked me too, believe it or not. And you don't know the other three."

Mack halted in his tracks. "Robbie? You mean big-fat-crazy-dorkmobile Robbie or LITTLE-fat-crazy-dorkmobile Robbie?"

"Robbie Dieselman," Vee confirmed, referring to the larger of the two.

"Ugh," Mack groaned as he accelerated. "Between him and Nate it doesn't sound like you really had a hard time choosing me. And here I thought I was something special!" He gave her a pouty look.

"Sorry I ever gave you that idea," she chuckled, picking up speed as they neared their destination.

The local park was the chosen venue for the prom. A wide lane circled the perimeter of it, a lane lined with rosebushes, evergreens, and an occasional lamppost. Dozens of couples cruised the lane to the beat of loud music flowing from several speakers placed around the park. At one end of the park the lane skirted a small lake before curving through a grove of elm trees.

Cars following Mack into the grove were sprinkled with leaves as the top of his cab brushed against the lower branches. Just outside the grove, on the opposite side from the lake, stood a table with a punchbowl, closely guarded by a teacher. Those students most likely to spike the punch were glared at as they passed.

Mack and Vee idled near the punchbowl during a particularly dull song, sipping their drinks while watching the other couples cruise past. Mack nearly choked on his punch when a new song started to play. "All right! Now here's a song I can cruise to!" he declared, gulping down the last of his punch and pulling Vee out onto the lane with him.

Vee chuckled appreciatively at his sudden burst of enthusiasm. The dance had started over half an hour earlier and so far Mack had only gotten up the nerve to cruise twice. Vee caught up to him and swerved to the beat of one of the year's top new releases: "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane.

_Life's like a road that you travel on  
When there's one day here and the next day gone  
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand  
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind _

_There's a world outside every darkened door  
Where blues won't haunt you anymore  
Where the brave are free and lovers soar  
Come ride with me to the distant shore _

_We won't hesitate to break down the garden gate  
There's not much time left today_

_Life is a highway  
I wanna ride it all night long  
If you're going my way  
I wanna drive it all night long…_

As the song progressed, Mack began to swerve along with Vee, trying to copy her moves and laughing whenever they bumped into each other.

"Now you're getting it!" Vee told him, right before he sideswiped a station wagon who was trying to pass him on the lane.

"Oops. Sorry, Dan!" Mack called over the music, then turned back to Vee. "That's why I don't like cruising like this," he told her. "This lane's not big enough for me to turn on."

"Relax, Mack. You're doing fine," she assured him. "Here, just follow my lead."

"I thought, as the guy here, I'm supposed to lead?" he said, though it was more a question than a statement.

Vee chuckled. "No offense, Mack, but you couldn't lead water down a waterfall. Besides, that's so old-fashioned. This is the nineties, not the fifties."

Mack sighed and resigned himself to follow Vee. The next song was slower and took them around the park twice, ending just as they entered the elm tree grove. They drove through the small woods in silence. The darkness beneath the trees, in lieu of lampposts, was broken only by splashes of moonlight on the pavement. Most vehicles kept their headlights off while driving through in order to enjoy the romantic atmosphere. Mack glimpsed two hatchbacks locking lips among the trees and couldn't resist blaring his horn at them. Startled, the couple broke apart, then scrambled back onto the lane and zoomed off, nearly hitting several cars who were heading in the opposite direction and getting honked at even more.

"That was cruel!" Vee muttered, giving her date a sharp nudge as they continued on. The tone of her voice didn't fool him, for it was obvious that she was trying hard not to laugh herself.

It was slow going through the elm forest as it seemed to be everyone's favorite part of the cruise. The flow of traffic slowed considerably under the boughs and voices dropped to whispers and childish giggles. Now and then someone would hide among the trees and shrubs and then jump out screaming at their chosen victims.

"I can't believe Robbie's still laughing at me!" Mack grumbled as he exited the grove under a shower of leaves. He cast a heated glare in his rearview at the white Dodge street van cruising two car-lengths behind. Out of all the pranksters at the prom, Robbie Dieselman had spent the most time in the grove, scaring the hell out of countless classmates, with Mack being his most recent victim.

"Feel free to dump the punchbowl on him," Vee said as they passed it.

"Tempting, but I wouldn't want to get any on Mandy," Mack replied. "Bad enough she's here with _him_. I don't wanna make it worse for her."

"I don't think she'd mind as long as he got most of it." Vee glanced back at the couple in question. The street van was chatting up a rather annoyed-looking bronze Chevy Nova, but the giggles she heard were not coming from either of them.

Mack growled as the snickering grew louder.

"Relax, it's not Robbie," Vee assured him, now noticing the couple directly behind them. A yellow pickup was snickering and nudging a silver sedan. Vee pulled aside on the lane to let others pass. "Hey Nate. Sheena. Having a good time?"

"Hell yeah," answered the truck. "How 'bout you and Stupid?"

It took Mack a moment to realize that Nate was referring to him. It took even longer to remember Vee's bumper sticker and the fact that he had been driving on her right all evening. "Hey!"

Vee chuckled and touched his tire reassuringly. "Yeah. Stupid and I are having a blast. Aren't we?"

Mack smirked at her. "I don't know. Why don't you ask Stupid!"

"I just did, _duh_!"

Nate's laugh was silenced by a glare from Mack. Sheena nudged Nate and said, to all three vehicles, "Mandy just told me Robbie's planning to dump oil on the road there." She pointed toward the grove. "So watch out next time you're cruising through there."

"Why's he doing that?" Vee asked.

"He wants to see Mr. Edsel slip," Sheena replied, referring to the geometry teacher.

"And why did she tell you?" Nate demanded.

"Because _she_ obviously _doesn't _want to see him slip!"

"Well I do!"

"Why? Mr. Edsel's nice. He doesn't deserve that."

Nate snorted. "Nice my axle! He's a lemon and everyone knows it."

"He is not!" Sheena retorted. "Just because you're flunking geometry you think it's his fault and he deserves to suffer for it!"

The two drove away, taking their argument with them. Mack and Vee watched them disappear around a wall of evergreen shrub.

"Wanna cruise some more?" Vee asked Mack. "We can keep an eye out for Robbie while we're at it."

"Good idea," Mack replied, in answer to both of her suggestions. They eased back into the steady flow of traffic on the crowded lane. Everyone was moving fast to the beat of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.

"Ugh, they never play enough slow songs at these cruises," Vee complained.

"I thought you liked this kind of music better?" Mack asked her.

"Well yeah, but not all the time. We haven't gotten a chance to slow-cruise at all."

Mack blushed as he pictured himself coasting slowly down the lane with Vee pressed against him, a tender love song guiding them along. When "Teen Spirit" ended, only to be replaced by the Eagles' "Take It Easy," Vee pulled over by the punchbowl and poured herself a small cup. She sipped it idly as she watched her classmates cruise by.

"You can keep cruising if you want," she told Mack. "I just wanna sit this one out."

"I thought you liked the Eagles," Mack said as he parked beside her.

"I do, but this one always reminds me of Dad," Vee replied. It was a simple answer, without any emotion in it, yet behind it Mack could sense something more.

"I think I'll sit this one out too," he mumbled, then helped himself to some punch. It seemed to take forever for the song to end, and when it did, Mack listened carefully, hoping that the next song would be something they both could enjoy. Soothing music began to drift across the park in the form of piano notes, and when Mack recognized the song, he turned to Vee with a smile.

"May I have this cruise?" he asked her, bowing and extending a tire toward her. The smile she returned to him was more than a sufficient answer. He led her out onto the lane as Air Supply began to sing "Two Less Lonely People in the World."

_I was down, my dreams were wearing thin  
When you're lost, where do you begin?  
My heart always seemed to drift from day to day  
Looking for the love that never came my way _

Then you smiled and I reached out to you  
I could tell you were lonely too  
One look, then it all began for you and me  
The moment that we touched, I knew that there would be

Two less lonely people in the world  
And it's gonna be fine  
Out of all the people in the world  
I just can't believe you're mine 

_In my life where everything was wrong  
Something finally went right  
Now there's two less lonely people  
In the world tonight…_

Mack's engine raced when he felt Vee lean against him. He looked down at her, thankful that her eyes were closed so she wouldn't notice him blushing. Her soft pink lips were curved in a small smile he couldn't help but mirror. In the dim light between lampposts, where little more than moonlight illuminated her face, she appeared especially breathtaking. Mack found himself pressing closer to her as the song wore on.

_Just to think what I might have missed  
Looking back, how did I exist?  
I dreamed, still I never thought I'd come this far  
But miracles come true, I know 'cause here we are_

_Two less lonely people in the world  
And it's gonna be fine  
Out of all the people in the world  
I just can't believe you're mine_

_In my life where everything was wrong  
Something finally went right  
Now there's two less lonely people  
In the world tonight…_

They rolled into the grove and the song, though muffled by foliage, seemed to play out stronger than ever. About halfway through the grove Vee nudged Mack gently and, without a word, beckoned him away from the path and into a clearing between the trees. Just wide enough for a semi to fit through, the clearing gave way to a spectacular view of the lake. Torn between the view and the car standing before him, Mack fought to keep his fidgeting tires still and focus on the lyrics of the song. He was all too aware of Vee pressing closer to him in the gloom.

_Tonight I fell in love with you  
And all the things I never knew  
Seemed to come to me somehow  
Baby, love is here and now there's_

_Two less lonely people in the world  
And it's gonna be fine  
Out of all the people in the world  
I just can't believe you're mine_

_In my life where everything was wrong  
Something finally went right  
Now there's two less lonely people  
__Two less lonely people  
__Two less lonely people  
In the world tonight._

For one marvelously horrifying split second in time, Mack was almost positive he could feel Vee's lips graze his cheek. But as suddenly as it had happened, the moment was gone, obliterated by an earsplitting crash from the direction of the lane. Jolted back to reality, Mack and Vee pushed their way through the trees.

In seconds the grove was packed, a blaze of headlights from students and staff alike. In the center of the crowd lay five vehicles, all dented and splattered in oil. Though none were seriously injured, all were definitely miffed. The pavement was soaked with oil, but it was all clean, and that could only mean one thing: it hadn't come from a leaky car.

"Robert Dieselman!" bellowed an elderly Ford, one of the unfortunate victims of the boy's prank. On the other side of the pileup a white van cringed. He tried to escape, but slipped on his own oil and collided with a nearby tree. Mack and Vee shared a good laugh with the rest of the crowd.

Though it had been rewarding to see the school prankster get his just desserts that night, Mack spent many restless nights after that wondering if what he'd felt in the darkness of the grove had been more than just a friendly gesture from Vee. As much as he wanted to know, he could never bring himself to ask her. And sometimes, late at night, when sleep was near and loneliness even nearer, Mack could still feel that warm softness, like a careless whisper or the silky wings of a moth, fluttering against his cheek.

* * *

_Wow, huh? Wowie-wow-wow-wow! I feel SO good now that I've finally written this chapter. And it's the longest chapter so far! Can you believe it? Phew! I need a break! It's 5:30 in the morning right now and I've been working on this chapter all night._

_Just an interesting tidbit: Back in August I posted a character quiz for Mack and Vee in my DA journal. In it I stated Mack and Vee's age as 32, and I listed "Life is a Highway" as Mack's favorite song. Based on their age, I estimated the year they graduated high school to be 1992. This is assuming my fic takes place no later than half a year after the events of the movie. _

_A couple of weeks after the quiz I started looking around for some songs for Mack and Vee to cruise to at the prom. I found a website that listed the top 100 songs of 1992 and among the top twenty was listed "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane. What an awesome coincidence, huh? XD_

_BTW if you haven't heard any of these songs and would like to, just let me know and I'll be happy to email you a copy of whichever one(s) you want. _


	18. Honk If You're WHAT?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:  
HONK IF YOU'RE WHAT?

"_I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy…" _Vee sang as she drove up the main street toward Flo's Café, followed by a small crowd. Just in from completing her second lap on the obstacle course, her newly repaired body gleamed under a thin layer of dust. "_Freedom came my way one day, and I started out of town. All of a sudden I see Sheriff John Brown, aiming to shoot me down. So I shot, I shot him down." _Sheriff's bumper curled in a sneer as he drove alongside her.

On her other side, Mack was laughing and trying to sing along. Since he wasn't as good a singer as Vee, and only knew the refrain of the song, he had little to contribute harmony-wise. This didn't stop Mater from joining in, much to Sheriff's displeasure. "_Ah shot the sheriff, but Ah did not shoot the deputy, oh no!"_ he crooned as he drove along backwards, facing Vee and her entourage, which consisted of Mack, Doc, Fillmore, Ramone, Lightning, Luigi and Guido. Sheriff cruised along on the outskirts, keeping his distance, while a thoroughly disgruntled Sarge brought up the rear several car-lengths behind.

The rest of the town was already there when they arrived at Flo's. Vee placed her order with one of the twins and was somewhat surprised when, a minute later, Flo returned with her drink. "This one's on me, Sugar," Flo said as she set it down in front of her. "After what you did to Sarge out there today, you've earned it." A round of chuckles confirmed agreement from the crowd.

"Yeah man, that was awesome!" Ramone snickered. "Hey, you think you could teach me how to do that?"

"Oh I don't know," laughed Vee. "That was just luck more than anything. I mean, all I did was go up that mound and jump him. Anyone could do that."

"And dump all that dirt on him at the same time?" Lightning argued. "No way!"

"Well, truthfully that ledge just gave in right under me. I sure as heck wasn't _planning_ to dump all that dirt on him," Vee confessed. "It just happened to work out that way is all. When I went for it, I wasn't even thinking that - HEY!" Vee shouted in surprise and spun around to find Guido right behind her. He backed away, holding his forks up in a surrendering gesture while babbling in Italian.

"Guido says he is-a only tightening a bolt," Luigi translated. "He says-a it was-a knocked loose when you-a jumped Sarge."

"Oh. Thanks," Vee mumbled, smirking at the little forklift who was now grinning nervously at her.

"And-a while we are on-a the subject of tires, might we suggest-a finding you a proper replacement for-a that unsightly spare?"

"Yeah, sure," Vee replied, sipping her drink. "Soon as I get a new paintjob." _Like THAT'S going to happen anytime soon, _she thought.

"Hey man, no problem," Ramone spoke up. "You wash that dust off and come by my place later. Ramone'll paint you up good."

"Thanks, but I can't pay for it."

"You know how to operate an airless paint sprayer?"

"No."

"But you can learn, right? You help me repaint some of them buildings downtown, I'll paint you. Deal?"

Vee only had to think about it for a second before she agreed. "Deal!"

After finishing her drink she headed over to the courthouse, where Red was watering his flowers. "Hey there, big boy!" she purred. Red startled and hastily tucked in his hose. She offered him a reassuring smile and he cringed like a frightened puppy before slowly returning her smile.

"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to spare, huh?" Vee teased him. The fire truck blushed and opened his mouth as though he were going to speak, but nothing came out.

"Nice flowers, by the way," Vee said as she inspected the many bouquets surrounding the Stanley statue. She moved closer to smell them. "Grew them yourself?" Red smiled wide and nodded. "They're very beautiful." Red blushed again, but in spite of this he looked as proud as a small child showing off the drawing that had earned him a gold star.

"Listen, I'm getting a new paintjob, but as you can see I'm pretty dusty, so if you wouldn't mind…?" Vee glanced over Red's cab and nodded. Red stared at her for a moment, his lips forming a silent O as it dawned on him what she was hinting at. His hose sprang back up and he waited until Vee gave him the okay to turn the water on. Vee spun around under the heavy stream, making sure all the dust was washed away.

"Wooooooo! Yeah baby!" shouted a man's voice, followed by several whistles and catcalls. Vee turned to see Mack and Lightning parked a short distance away. She glared at them and they cringed.

"Don't look at me!" Lightning said, then nodded toward Mack. "It was him!" Vee looked at Mack, who shook his hood fervently. She'd recognized his voice, and was certain that McQueen had made some of those sounds, judging from the glare he received from Sally who was standing nearby. Vee smirked and turned back to Red.

"Looks like those two could use a cold shower," she told him with a grin. "How 'bout it?" Red mirrored her grin as he charged forward, dousing Mack and Lightning with a high-pressure stream. The two sped off yelling as the fire truck chased them down the street. Everyone in town laughed at the sight, except for Sheriff, who shouted at them to slow down. When his warning went unheeded, he sped after them with his siren wailing. On the edge of town Red made a sudden U-turn in the middle of the road. Sheriff slammed on his breaks to avoid a collision. The moment he stopped he found himself drenched as Red shot him with his hose. Stunned, the squad car turned sharply and headed back the way he had come, now being chased by a fire truck. His own siren was drowned out by Red's much louder siren, so he resorted to screaming his way back to the courthouse, where he promptly sealed himself up inside his garage.

At Ramone's House of Body Art, Vee watched as Ramone demonstrated how to operate an airless paint sprayer. Using himself as an example, he replaced his plum paintjob with a bold turquoise coating, complete with navy blue racing stripes along his sides.

"And that's all there is to it!" declared Ramone when he had finished. Vee stared at him in surprise.

"Wow. I still can't figure out how you managed to paint yourself - and I just watched you do it!"

"Me neither," Mack said through the window.

"Just another trick of the trade, ese," Ramone boasted with a grin. "Now what color you think you wanna be? You name it and Ramone'll make it happen."

"Well, anything's better than hunter green," Vee replied as she looked herself over in a full-length mirror. When her eyes met those of her mirror image, she froze, gazing into their blue-violet depths. Behind herself she glimpsed Mack looking in through the window. For a fleeting moment their eyes met, then in a blink Mack was looking away and (Vee was almost certain) blushing. She smiled and turned to Ramone.

"What I'd really like is to go back to my original color," she told him.

"Sure thing!" Ramone replied. "You know it's not many cars who like being their natural colors. Why I've changed colors so many times my own ma can't remember what color I was born!"

Vee chuckled. "Oh, I didn't mean my natural color. I was born white, but that's not what I want. You can't get any more boring than white. Before I got this fugly paintjob I was lavender, and that's what I want to be again." Though she wasn't facing him, Vee caught a glimpse of Mack's smile in the mirror.

"No problemo!" said Ramone. "You tell me what color code and I'll make the paint."

Vee's face fell. "Oh. Well, I don't remember the code."

"You know the stock name?" Vee shook her hood. "Well… you got a picture of yourself when you was that color? A good picture? I can maybe match it if it's clear enough."

Again Vee shook her hood and sighed. Outside, Mack felt as disappointed as she looked. A sudden smile crossed his face and he knocked on the window. Vee turned to look at him. He nodded toward the door, then drove toward it. Vee met him at the threshold, watching curiously as he pulled his wallet out and opened it. Without a word he flipped through the plastic pages sporting photos of family and friends. And then there it was: their prom photo.

A slightly shorter teenage Mack grinned big for the camera, one tire wrapped around a slimmer and very violet Vee, who had somehow managed to talk him into wearing half of the ten corsages he'd given her for the photo.

Vee stared down at it for a long time, and when she finally looked up at the big rig standing before her, there was a glimmer in her eyes that he'd never seen before. Butterflies erupted in his tanks and he blushed crimson. "You kept it?" she whispered at last.

Mack smiled. "Of course." He held the wallet out to her and she took it, sliding the picture out as carefully as though it were a priceless heirloom. She flipped it over and read the faded inscription she had written on the back several years before:

_senior prom  
__May 18th, 1992  
__Mack Trucker & Vee Vroom  
__BFFs_

Vee's eyes were practically burning holes in it before she finally forced herself to hand the photo over to Ramone. The low rider looked from the photo to the two vehicles and back several times. He said nothing, but the devious grin he was wearing spoke volumes. Mack blushed so hotly he almost wished Red would come along and hose him down again.

Nothing was said during the several minutes it took to mix the paint and load the sprayer. Silence also prevailed during the painting process. It wasn't until nearly an hour later when Vee exited the shop that one of them dared to speak.

"Didja have to get pinstripes?" Mack asked her as he followed her down the street.

Vee smirked. "You're enjoying the view, aren't you?" She looked back at him in her rearview mirror.

"Well, it's - it's not bad…" he mumbled, blushing.

"Oh shut up," Vee teased. "You never could take your eyes off my back bumper and you know it."

"Only because you keep braking all the time!" Mack retorted. "If I took my eyes off it I'd just end up crashing into you."

"You've never complained about that before!"

"Neither have you!"

Vee laughed as she cruised the main street, her pearly new lavender paintjob dazzling in the sun.

"That reminds me, you need some bumper stickers!" Mack said as he pulled up beside her and gave her a nudge. "Come on, let's go to Lizzie's. She's got lots of 'em. Don't worry, I'm buying." Ignoring Vee's protests, Mack pushed her in the direction of Lizzie's curio shop, where the old Model T was dozing peacefully on the porch.

"Oh, I don't wanna wake her," Vee said as she backed down the ramp to the shop.

"If every tourist who came through this town said the same thing, she'd be out of business!" Mack argued. He drove up to the porch and gently nudged Lizzie with a tire. "Hey Lizzie, you've got a customer. Up and at 'em!" Despite his attempt to wake her, the old woman continued to snore softly. He shook her harder, rattling her frame.

"Gently, Mack!" Vee warned. "She looks fragile."

"I am being gentle!" Mack argued, all the while shaking the old car so hard her radiator cap was starting to come loose.

"Mm, not so rough, Stanley!" Lizzie murmured. Mack blushed and removed his tire from her side. A moment later she began to stir. "Nn - huh, what?" she mumbled, looking blearily up at the semi towering over her. "Oh, good morning Al!" she chirped as she stood up on wobbling axles. "You're just in time for tea."

Mack considered correcting her on his name, but decided against it. "No thanks," he said, then turned to Vee. "You have a customer here."

"So what'll it be, honey?" Lizzie asked Vee as she guided her around the shop, showing off various Route 66 souvenirs and other knickknacks.

"Just some bumper stickers," Vee replied. She parked in front of a rotating stand and turned it slowly, reading each and every sticker on it. She picked two out and laid them on the counter. Lizzie drove behind it to ring up the sale.

"Is that going be all for you, dear? You know, I've got more in the back if you want to see them."

"Thanks, but these are good enough for now. Although…" Vee paused, thinking. "If you have one that says '_Honk if your horn works,' _I'll take it."

Lizzie squinted at her. "Honk if you're _what_?"

"_Honk if your horn works," _Vee repeated loudly.

"Oh! Why yes, I think we do." Lizzie chuckled. She drove into the back room and came out a minute later with her find, then dropped it on the counter with the other two and rang up the total. Mack handed Vee some money and she paid her. "Would you like some help with these?" Lizzie offered.

"Oh yeah. Thank you," Vee replied, turning around so Lizzie could apply the stickers for her.

A minute later Vee rolled out of the shop and parked in front of Mack.

"So which ones did you get?" he asked, trying to look behind her. "Come on, let's see!"

Vee chuckled. "Sorry, but you're coming off a little too eager to see my back bumper again." She kept turning toward him to keep him from looking. "I got '_Watch out for the idiot behind me,' 'Honk if your horn works,' _and '_I'm on Route 66, now where are my kicks?'_"

"Nice!" Mack replied as the two started off down the street, side by side. As they passed by Flo's, Lightning honked. Vee smiled. She didn't notice him turning to Mater and Luigi and snickering as he whispered to them, but Mack did. He thought nothing of it until a moment later when they honked at her too. This time she didn't fail to notice their enormous grins. Then Ramone came out of the café and honked repeatedly. Vee turned to look at him and he gave an impish laugh.

Now that her back was to him, Mack looked down at her stickers and gasped.

"What?" Vee asked, turning back to him. Mack blushed crimson and stammered.

"Uh, it - it's your sticker. It says, um - well…" he leaned in close and whispered to her. Vee's eyes widened in shock.

"_Honk if you're WHAT?!" _she gasped, now blushing as red as Mack. "Wh - but - that's not what I asked for! I said '_Honk if your HORN WORKS,' _not - not _that_!" She glanced over at the café, where the four men who had honked at her were now laughing hysterically. Mack growled at them before realizing with a start that Vee was laughing too. Nearby the twins stood staring at her, their faces a mixture of astonishment and (Mack was sure as Tia flashed him a flirty look) jealousy.

"I take it this means you're going to keep the sticker?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Why not?" Vee replied, chuckling. "Seems to do wonders for morale around here."

Mack sighed and shook his hood, though he couldn't help but laugh a little himself. As Vee drove toward the café, he looked down at the sticker again. The words '_Honk if you're horny' _certainly tempted a response, whether one was or not. And even not, it took a great deal of willpower for Mack to resist honking his horn at her.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I said Lightning honked. I know in the movie he doesn't have a horn, but I forgot about that until I was done writing this chapter. Let's just assume he got one installed, okay? And mirrors and headlights too, while we're at it. Seems like a car would be pretty helpless without all those things. Besides, I didn't want to change it because I thought Lightning would be one of the few cars in town most likely to respond to Vee's bumper sticker._

_Reviews, por favor! And don't forget to check out the illustration at DA!_


	19. Tractors and Tow Hooks

_Yay. A new chapter! Uh oh, Mack's telling jokes! FYI, none of the following lame jokes are mine. I got them off of different humor websites. Minor swears and naughtiness ahead!_

CHAPTER NINETEEN:  
TRACTORS AND TOW HOOKS

"Why did JB Hunt trucks finally stop hauling doubles?" Mack asked the crowd at Flo's one evening. "Because the top one kept falling off!" His joke was met with a few forced chuckles and murmurs. Not to be put off, he tried again. "Why do JB Hunt trucks paint their trailer doors yellow? So they'll know which end to hook up to!" Beside him, Vee groaned. Mack smirked at her. "It's a trucker joke," he grumbled, clearly peeved. "You wouldn't get it."

"Oh, I get it," Vee replied. "That's the problem."

"Oh yeah? Well, if you think you know any better trucker jokes, I'd like to hear them!"

Vee grinned. "Oh, I know some good ones, all right."

The florescent and neon lights from the café turned Vee's lavender coating to a silver-bluish hue, making her glow as though she were bathed in bright moonlight. On her other side, Mater and Lightning were snickering over a private joke. "Boy howdy, that's a good un!" Mater declared as he sipped his drink. Vee looked at him curiously.

"What is?" she asked him.

"Oh, Lightnin' was jist tellin' me 'bout the time Mack got stuck under a bridge," Mater explained and Mack groaned.

"You HAD to tell him, didn't you, McQueen?" he growled at the racecar. Lightning gave him a smug grin.

Vee grinned too. "What happened?" she asked Lightning.

"Well, we were on our way to a race in Dallas and Mack misread the clearance sign and thought he could make it. Then all of a sudden WHAM! The trailer gets wedged under an overpass and traffic's backed up for miles. Then this cop shows up and asks Mack if he's stuck, and Mack says 'No, officer. I was just hauling this bridge here when I ran out of gas.' The cop gave him an extra ticket for being a smart ass."

Vee laughed along with the rest of the dinner crowd. Mack scowled and took a deep swig of his drink.

"That reminds me of a dumb trucker joke," Vee said when she had calmed down. Mack gave her a "Don't you dare!" sort of look which she ignored. "These two dumb truckers were driving along down the freeway when they came to an overpass. The clearance sign said eleven feet. They stopped and one of them said, 'I'm twelve feet tall,' and the other one said, 'I'm thirteen feet tall.' He looked around for a minute, then said, 'Not a cop in sight. I say we go for it!'"

Everyone, including Mack, laughed at that. "Yeah man, that one's way better than those JB whatever jokes!" Ramone declared. "I got some real good cop jokes," he added, loud enough for Sheriff to hear as he drove by. The squad car gave him a sharp look from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. He left the lot and disappeared down the road, twin red taillights gleaming like monstrous eyes out of the black desert. One of the twins looked at Ramone eagerly, but he shook his hood. "Ah, forget it. S'no fun telling cop jokes without a cop around."

"What's his problem, anyway?" Lightning wondered aloud as he stared in the direction Sheriff had gone.

"Eh, he's been in a pissy mood ever since I got back from Carburetor City," Vee replied, sipping her drink. "As soon as he saw me all fixed up, he's been crabbier than Sarge."

"Why's that?"

Before Vee could respond, Mack answered for her. "Because good ol' Doc here went over his hood and filed her accident report so it was in her favor. He was able to reword it enough so that she wasn't at fault and her insurance covered her repairs. Sheriff obviously wasn't too happy about that."

"Yeah well, don't worry about Sheriff," Lightning advised Vee. "He wasn't too crazy about me when I first showed up either. Neither was Doc, come to think of it. At least you've got _him _on your side."

"Mm," Vee shrugged and sipped her drink.

"I know a couple of good fire truck jokes," Mack announced suddenly. He gave Red, who was parked across the lot from him, a teasing look. Red blushed and glanced around as though contemplating escape.

"You guys ready for this one? Okay, here goes: there's this huge fire at an oil refinery, and nearly all the fire trucks in the county are there trying to put it out. Problem is, it's so hot that none of them can get near enough to fight it. Then suddenly this clunky old fire truck comes hauling ass onto the scene and drives right into the blaze and puts it out. Just like that! Everyone's so amazed by this act of bravery that they hold an award ceremony and present the old fire truck with a medal and a check for ten thousand dollars. When a reporter asks him what he's planning to do with all that money, he says, 'Well, the first thing I'm gonna do is get these damn brakes fixed!'"

Mack grinned proudly when his joke was rewarded with a round of genuine laughter. Red blushed, but appeared to be laughing silently.

"Dude, I gotta good one for ya!" Ramone told everyone, and they quickly quieted down. "Why are fire trucks red?" he asked, looking right at Red as though he were asking him directly. The fire truck gave him a questioning look. Ramone snickered. "Cuz if someone was yankin' on your hose, you'd turn red too!" The loud guffaws that followed caused the poor fire truck to blush crimson.

"All right, all right," Doc Hudson spoke up. "You boys keep the jokes clean and stop picking on Red, you got that?" Though he sounded serious, his smile betrayed him.

"Yes Daddy," Lightning said in a little girly voice and Mater snickered. Doc smirked at them.

"I hate to say this, but shouldn't you two be out tractor tipping or something?" he demanded. "It's a bit unsettling to see the two of you here after sundown, and so well behaved. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were up to something."

"We's jist waitin' fer Mack and Miss Vee tuh join us," Mater explained, giving Doc a shameless grin.

A three-quarter moon smiled down on the silver sea of wheat that stretched out before them, dry husks swaying and shushing in a light autumn breeze. Mater led his partners in crime through the break in the fence that surrounded the meadow. He swerved cautiously around a tractor sleeping nearby, his sights already set on another tractor standing a short distance away. Lightning, Mack and Vee killed their engines and coasted along behind him, silent as shadows.

Mater stretched his axles out and tip-tired the last few feet toward his prey. Two tractors stood side by side, their massive tires practically touching as they snored peacefully. An occasional plume of smoke puffed from their exhaust pipes, ghostly blue in the moonlight. Huddled low in the grass, Vee watched wide-eyed as Mater drew in a deep breath and puffed himself up. Even though she was expecting it, his blaring horn startled her nearly as much as it did the tractor.

The beast jolted awake, giving a panicked cry as it tipped over sideways against its mate. The second tractor hit the ground with an impressive thud, pinned beneath the first tractor. Mater turned to his companions with a smug grin.

"That still only counts as one!" Lightning whispered with a sneer. Mater stuck his tongue out at him and Vee chuckled.

"You think that's impressive, what'll you see ol' Mack in action!" Mack boasted. "I can knock down every tractor in this field with one honk!"

"Which is why you're not allowed to use your horn!" Vee reminded him.

"Well then how am I supposed to tip 'em?"

"Easy, just rev your engine," Lightning advised him. "That's what I did before I got a horn installed. And it worked! Worked a little too well, actually," he admitted with a blush.

"Ah'll say!" Mater chuckled. "He done woke every single tractor fer miles around! Not tuh mention he got Frank all riled up and chasin' after us."

"Well then, that's probably not a good idea either," Vee spoke up. "Mack's engine is probably even louder."

"If you guys want me to tip a tractor, then I'm going to tip a tractor!" Mack declared, ignoring their protests as he rolled over to the nearest animal. Though taller than the other vehicles, it was still far shorter than the semi truck that stood silently observing it. Mack stared at it for a long moment before moving around to face its side. He lifted a tire and placed it against the tractor's flank, then pushed. It tipped easily. The creature hit the ground with a soft thud, its wheels turning in a pathetic attempt to right itself.

Mack stared down at it, listening to its feeble moos. After a moment he drove around to the tractor's other side and helped it back up. The tractor gave his grille a grateful lick before rolling away. Lightning's laugh reached him before the racecar himself did.

"What was that, Mack?" McQueen asked him.

Mack sighed. "I couldn't leave it like that," he explained with a blush. "It just looked so helpless lying there. It made me feel dirty knocking it over like that." Vee smiled at him.

"Aw, t'ain't nothing' tuh be ashamed of," Mater assured him. "If'n ya think that's bad, you should see how dirty them bull tractors play. Why, las' time we was out here they was all jumpin' on each other and friskin' and -"

"They weren't playing, Mater," Lightning reminded him. "They were - you know…"

Mater stared at him. "Whut?" Lightning blushed and looked away. "Ohhhhh," Mater said, suddenly realizing what he'd meant. He too blushed as he turned to face Mack and Vee. "Them's some purdy rowdy critters right there," he said, pointing to the nearest tractors. "They's tough. If'n Ah'm not knockin' 'em over, they's doin' it tuh each other. Specially the young 'uns. Now watch this."

Mater drove over to another tractor and started to circle it, his one good light illuminating clumps of grass and tractor hide. Vee squinted in the moonlight, trying to make out the shadowy bulk beneath the sleeping creature. It took her a moment to realize what it was. When she did, she sped toward Mater. "You're not going to bother this one, are you?" she demanded.

Mater switched his light off and looked at her. "Why not?" he whispered.

Vee bristled. "Because, look!" she hissed, jabbing a tire at the tractor's low-hung belly. "It's obviously pregnant!" She was startled to hear Mater chuckle.

"Ah kin see that plain as day!" he told her. "Ah ain't so low as tuh tip a tractor that's expectin'. That's why Ah was checkin' 'er out first, tuh make sure she were carryin' a baby an' not jist a few extra pounds."

Vee's engine calmed considerably on hearing this.

"Ah don't tip the young 'uns neither," Mater went on. "Not till they's growed up some first. If they's still with their mamas I won't touch 'em with a ten-foot pole." He turned and drove silently through the tall grass and Vee followed him. Dry wheat stalks caressed her sides and caused her to shiver slightly.

Mater stopped so suddenly that she nearly ran into him. "Ssshhhh!" he warned her, then crouched low to the ground, with his rear in the air and his tow hook swinging back and forth. He looked every bit like a cat about to pounce on some unsuspecting bird. Vee looked past him to see not one, not two, not three, but FOUR tractors, lined up perfectly like dominos waiting to be tipped.

"Now watch how the master does it!" Mater boasted, wiggling his back end. Vee chuckled and, before he could even blink, she plunged forward and blared her horn as loud as she could.

The first tractor went down easily. It took the second one down with it, which in turn tipped the third. The fourth tractor, awakened by the honk, sped off with a frantic "MOOO!" With surprising speed, it fled the field and charged blindly into the adjoining apricot grove, mooing like a maniac all the way. Mater howled with laughter. Mack and Lightning were cheering Vee on as they pulled up beside her.

"Now if that don't put the 'moo' in 'move it!'" Mater exclaimed, slugging Vee with a tire. Vee grinned smugly. As their laughter died, she became aware of a strange noise. Faint at first, it quickly grew louder. The ground beneath their tires began to tremble. Vee looked to the three men, all of whom were now glancing around nervously.

"What's happening?" she demanded.

"Frank's happening, that's what!" Lightning replied before turning tail and speeding away.

"What?" The rumbling had grown so loud that Vee had to shout to be heard over it. She turned toward the grove and was surprised to see the tractor zooming back toward her. For a second she thought it was charging, but when it zoomed past without even looking at her, she realized something far worse was on its way. The half-bare tree boughs were quaking, the last of their leaves falling to the ground.

"Aw crud, we'd better git!" Mater said, turning to go. He froze the moment a bright set of lights pierced through the trees and lit the field in a blinding blaze. Vee stared in horror as a giant combine pushed its way through the grove and into the wheat field. Frank snorted, glaring at the trio of trespassers. With a mighty roar, his header spun to life and he charged, shredding up wheat and dry grass and everything else in his path.

"Look out!" Mack shouted, then turned and fled in the same direction Lightning had gone. But Vee did not hear him. Like a deer caught in headlights, she stood frozen in place, the combine's lights blinding her. Her engine raced.

_Bright light. Blinding. Sunlight… glinting on chrome…screeching of brakes… screaming… _

_"Joey!" The name echoes._

_Grasses rustle and hiss. Engine growls… "NO!"_

_"YES!"_

_No, never again. Not ever… _

_VROOOOOM!_

_"Oh no you don't, you filthy whore!" Screech. Slam. CRASH!_

_No. Never. _

_Ever._

"Come on, Miss Vee! We gotta git outta here!" Mater shouted as he shook the petrified Chrysler. Vee did not budge. She continued to stare unblinking into the headlights of the charging combine. Mater glanced around frantically, but Mack and Lightning were long gone. He shook Vee again, but roused no response. Knowing no other alternative, he drove behind her then and swung his tow hook. Feeling it latch under her back bumper, he accelerated, dragging Vee behind him in his haste to escape.

Hitting a bump, Vee was jolted back to reality. One look at Frank and his gleaming blades and she screamed. Flooring herself, she spun around and zoomed past Mater, tow hook still in place. Mater had only a split second to stare after her in surprise before he found himself suddenly being whirled around and towed backwards by the fleeing Chrysler. Helpless and disoriented in this new situation, he screamed as he watched Frank close the gap between them, his blades a shining silver blur as bits of wheat and dirt clods flew up all around them.

Halfway back to town, Mack stopped and looked back, startled to find himself alone. Engine racing, he headed back toward the field. "Vee!" he shouted, eyes and headlights scanning the dark horizon. "Mater! Where are you?" An engine roared in the distance and his own skipped several cycles in anticipation. Moments later Vee came swinging around a bend with Mater in tow. There was a look of pure panic on her face, though it was Mater who was doing the screaming.

"Vee, wait!" Mack yelled out to her as she passed. When she didn't slow, he sped after her, blaring his horn.

Startled, Vee glanced back at him in her mirror and saw Mater swerve into her line of vision. She'd forgotten all about him in her panic and now stared in total disbelief as he swung back and forth across the road at the end of his own cable. She slammed on her brakes. The line went slack and the tow hook came loose from her bumper as Mater zipped past, yelling all the way. He flew backwards off the road, coming to a stop in the soft desert sand.

Vee stared after him, trembling on her axles and breathless. Mack pulled up beside her, asking if she was okay. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she gave a barely perceptible nod in reply, but did not look at him. Mater drove back up to the road, his tow hook and several feet of cable dragging limply behind him. "Hoo boy," he panted. "A tow truck done gettin' himself towed. It don't git no worse'n that, Ah reckon. You's one helluva racer, Miss Vee."

Still trembling, Vee glanced up at him and forced a smile. "Are you sure you're all right?" Mack asked her. She startled at the sudden sensation of his tire brushing against hers. This time she looked at him. The semi looked genuinely concerned.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice hoarse. She licked her lips and swallowed again. "Fine." A long and awkward silence fell between the three vehicles.

"Well, Ah don't know about you two, but Ah'm parched!" Mater said, a little too loudly. "Ah'm all fer headin' back tuh Flo's fer another round. Y'all with me or what?"

"Um, no thanks," Vee murmured.

"Well all right then!" Mater said, then took off down the road at a quick but easy pace. Mack and Vee stared after him a moment before they too started off down the road.

"So what happened back there?" Mack asked his friend.

It took Vee a moment to answer. "I don't know," she said honestly. "When I saw that combine I just - I just froze. Then all of a sudden it was like a million things were happening at once. And then…" she trailed off, almost afraid to continue. "And then I remembered."

"Remembered what?"

"Everything. Why I'm here. Why I ran away. The day I crashed into you. The crash itself. It all came back to me, just like that."

Mack said nothing. He drove slightly closer to her.

"The day of the crash, I was being followed. A man named Joey - he worked for Slade - he was chasing me. I hid from him - in that very field back there, the one we were just at - but he found me there and he…" she paused, her voice breaking as she choked on a sob. "He tried to kill me, but that combine - Frank - chased him away."

The sound of their tires humming over the asphalt was cold and empty. A faint glimmer of lights in the distance told them Radiator Springs was just up ahead. Like the road before them, the silence stretched on. It was a long time before Vee spoke again.

"I stayed out in the field for a while after that, and when I finally dared to leave, Joey was waiting for me. He chased me into Radiator Springs, but when Sheriff started chasing me he must have given up. But I know he can't be far away. He's out there somewhere, looking for me."

Several times during her story, Mack opened his mouth to speak, to offer sympathy, to ask a question, to say _something_ for the sake of saying it, but nothing ever came out. What could he say that wouldn't sound cliché? What could he say that would comfort her? They reached the edge of town a minute later. Mack stuck close to Vee's side as she drove toward the Cozy Cone lobby. Earlier that day Sally had offered her a room in exchange for housekeeping.

Vee picked up her key and, without a word to Mack, headed over to cone number six and unlocked the door. Mack pulled up behind her, watching her as she backed into the cone. The silence fell between them again, so thick it very nearly suffocated them.

"What are you running from?" Mack asked her suddenly, his words surprising himself as much as they did her. He had no idea why he'd asked her that, nor why his tone had sounded so demanding, but now that it was out in the open there was no sidestepping it.

Vee glanced down at the welcome mat and pawed at its frayed edge with a tire. "I don't know," she said quietly. Her voice was tiny, hollow and distant.

"I thought you said you remembered," Mack replied.

"I do, but…" she sighed heavily and shook her hood. "I don't know, Mack. It seems like the more I remember, the less I really know. I know exactly why I ran away, but now… now I don't know what I'm running from. I know that doesn't make sense, but…" she sighed again, this time sounding tired and frustrated. "Look, I'm exhausted, and I'd really rather not talk about it right now. I promise I'll tell you everything in the morning, okay?"

"Okay," Mack agreed reluctantly. He turned to go. "Good night then."

"Good night, Mack," Vee whispered, closing the door.

* * *

_For those of you who are interested, my good friend Dodgesuperbee (aka Rollerwings) has written a short Mack/Vee fic called "Happy Returns." She wrote it back in August, but for some reason I didn't think to mention it to you guys till just now. Sorry about that. _

"_Happy Returns" is posted at DeviantArt. Check my profile for the link. The fic takes place after the events of "Route 62," but don't worry, there are no spoilers. Well, not really. XP Just FYI the fic contains adult content, so be warned. If any of you do decide to read it, please leave Dodge a review and, if it's not too much trouble, let me know what you think of it too. _


	20. Ford's Escorts

_Warning: strong language and adult situations ahead!_

CHAPTER TWENTY:  
FORD'S ESCORTS

Two weeks earlier…

Vee kicked off her rhinestone-studded hubcaps and collapsed on the bed, heaving a frustrated sigh. The air was thick with the stench of her last client's exhaust fumes and it made her gag. She buried her nose in one of several satin pillows, squinting her eyes shut so as not to have to look at her own reflection in the enormous mirror that covered an entire wall. Her mascara was smeared around her red-rimmed eyes and most of her lipstick had worn off. Tear trails had cut streaks through the body glitter sprayed on her hood. One taillight was broken, leaving the bulb exposed. She couldn't have cared less how she looked at that moment.

The mahogany paneling and green velvet draperies made the room appear dark. Countless candles arranged around the room flickered, tiny flames casting large shadows. Beyond the blackening curtains, a sliver of dusty pink sky tinged with orange from an unseen streetlamp peeked through. Evening had settled over Los Angeles. Vee wiped her eyes on a pillow and stared longingly out the window. Horns honked and sirens wailed in the distance, but she heard nothing beyond the lonely chirp of a cricket in the azalea bushes outside.

A dull thud shook the wall and in the next room, soft music started playing. Engines revved as a man's voice shouted incoherently. This was followed by a series of muffled thumps that caused a brass sconce to vibrate on the wall. Both a man's and a woman's voice punctuated the rhythmic thumping with an occasional curse or moan. These sounds grew steadily louder and the sconce bounced so hard against the wall that it threatened to fall off any moment.

Vee growled and kicked the wall as hard as she could, causing the sconce to fall. The candle was knocked loose and spilled onto the floor. The noises in the next room ceased. There was a barely audible murmur, then a short laugh, as the thumping resumed. Vee climbed off the bed and stamped out the candle's flame before it could ignite the carpet, then picked up the fallen sconce. _Damn fire hazard, _she mused. _Whoever thought candles were romantic, anyway? Must've been a pyro fire truck. _She threw the brass fixture across the room where it clattered loudly against the door. The thumping continued.

A moment later there was a soft knock at the same door. Vee knew who it was before she opened it. Just outside on the landing stood a very petite and timid-looking white Corvette. Her sky blue eyes were shining with concern. "Yvette? What's wrong?" Vee asked her. The young woman trembled.

"Joey called Slade," she whispered, her voice frail as mist. "He told him everything. He's coming back tonight." Vee's oil ran cold at this news. For a moment her own violet eyes mirrored those of the Corvette before suddenly darkening.

"I won't be here when he arrives," she declared, then turned to shut the door. Yvette stopped it with a tire.

"What are you going to do? Run away?" she demanded, her voice shrill but no less misty.

"No, I'm just gonna spread my tires and let him screw me like he's screwed everyone else around here!" Vee snapped. She turned back into her room and started throwing things around as she searched for items to pack. Yvette stood in the doorway, fidgeting and casting nervous glances in her side view mirrors.

"Veronica," she murmured, barely above a whisper. Vee dug through her dresser drawer as though she hadn't heard her. She pulled out a switchblade and flicked it open. The blade gleamed like chrome in the candlelight. Yvette gasped and shrank away from the doorway. Vee smirked at her and closed the knife before tossing it on the bed.

"Veronica, please," Yvette started again. She drove forward into the room, stopping on the other side of the bed. "What are you going to do?" The gleam in the Chrysler's eye went unnoticed as she continued to dump an array of items onto the bed along with the knife. Makeup, sparkplugs, oil cans, CD's, books, and other miscellany were added until the room had been completely ransacked. When she was finished, Vee lifted the corners of the bedspread and bunched them together to form an enormous bindle.

"Here, put this in my trunk," she ordered, shoving the blanket into the Corvette's tires.

"But I -"

Vee spun around and popped her trunk open, ignoring her protest. Yvette sighed, though to Vee it sounded more like a sob, as she hefted the bindle up and carefully eased it into her trunk. "Okay," she mumbled, and Vee slammed her trunk shut and turned back to face her again. The younger woman would not meet her gaze, though she looked every bit on the verge of tears. Vee let out a frustrated sigh.

"What do you want me to do?" she demanded. "Stay here and suffer like the rest of you? Be Slade's bitch for the rest of my life? Screw that. I've been wanting to get out of this hellhole ever since I first came here. Four effing years I've been working for that prick, and for what? Huh? You tell me!"

Yvette flinched at her fierce tone. She looked down her hood, unable to answer. A loud shriek from the next room made Vee's engine rev. "Shut UP!" she shouted. Seething, she picked up the nearest object lying on the floor - one of her rhinestone hubcaps - and lobbed it at the wall. A thud from the other side echoed it, followed by the sound of a door swinging open out on the landing. A second later a furious-looking red Mercedes burst into the room.

"What the hell is your problem?" she screeched in Vee's face. "I've got a very important client in there, and you're in here screaming and banging around like a maniac! I swear to Dodge if you drive him off I'll -"

"What?" Vee challenged. "Tell Slade? Be my guest! Do I look like I give a flying Ford?" She snorted and turned away to look out the window. It was pitch black out now. The Mercedes growled and opened her mouth to respond, but Yvette nudged her and shook her hood.

"Leave her, Darla. She's already in for it. Slade's coming back from Fresno tonight to deal with her."

Darla shut her mouth promptly and her lips curled into a devilish grin. "Well, in that case…" she backed out of the room. "See you at the funeral, Veronica."

"What funeral?" Yvette asked.

"Hers, of course," Darla purred, nodding toward Vee. She chuckled wickedly as she drove back to her room.

Yvette looked at Vee in alarm, but Vee merely smirked. She went around the room, blowing out the candles. When she was done, she ushered Yvette out of the room before exiting it herself and closing the door behind her. She said nothing, even as the nervous Corvette followed her along the landing and down the ramp to the ground floor. A large silver SUV was parked behind a counter, swigging a beer and watching a demolition derby on a dusty twelve-inch screen.

A little black bug landed on his hood and he swatted at it with his antenna. Vee drove up to the counter and smiled at him. It took the SUV a moment to notice her. "Eh? Whaddaya want?" he grunted.

"To tell you that it's been hell working here and that you reek like a dump truck and that you and Slade can both take your pathetic little drive shafts and cram them up your tailpipes," Vee said, as pleasantly as though she were commenting on the weather.

Bristling, the SUV swung out from behind the counter with amazing agility for so large a vehicle and glared down at her, growling. "What did you say, whore?"

Yvette gasped and backed into a corner, but Vee stood her ground with a smile. "Joey, Joey, Joey," she chuckled, shaking her hood. "How did Slade ever manage without you?"

"You're scrap metal," he growled. "Soon as Slade gets back -"

"I'll be long gone by then," Vee said jeeringly. "So save your putrid breath."

Joey shoved her against the wall. Yvette shrieked. There was a metallic clanging sound overhead, and Vee glanced up just as a large drop of blood-red wax splashed onto her hood. A treelike sconce with twisting branches holding over a dozen candles hung from the wall a few feet above her cab.

"Cool your cylinders, Joey," said a smooth voice from behind the SUV. "She ain't going anywhere, are you, Vroom?" A tire swatted Vee's back bumper and her engine stalled. She didn't need to look in her side view mirror to know who it was, though she turned one anyway so she could see him.

"Slade," she growled, and was answered with a chuckle. A black Ford F150 with an icy blue flame job and even colder blue eyes was lazily caressing her bumper.

"Have a good time with the pigs?" he purred, voice smooth as smoke.

Vee snorted. "Do I look like I'm having a good time right now?"

Slade laughed. "You've been working here too long," he said gleefully, before suddenly turning serious. "Don't truck with me, Vroom. I know everything." His tire slipped lower and Vee hissed. "I know you've been taking gigs behind my back and keeping the money for yourself. And that hummer you put in Intensive Care today happens to be an old friend of mine. Heard you knocked him off an overpass and stole his wallet. What do you say to that?"

Vee laughed. "Oh please. You actually believe that? If I can't get Joey to move his fat ass one inch, what makes you think I can push a hummer off an overpass?"

With a growl, Joey slammed into her again. The candelabra clattered, sending a shower of hot wax raining down onto Vee's hood.

Slade's engine revved. "Knowing Kel, he had to be drunk!"

"Oh yes, of course. And I suppose that made it perfectly okay for him to try to rape me! Just got a little frisky, was that it, or did I miss something?"

"Men hire you for one thing, and one thing only!" Slade reminded her.

"That wasn't part of the deal!" she retorted. "He paid me up front for a teaser, and that's what I gave him! Then he chased me out onto that overpass which, by the way, was under construction. _That's_ why he fell off. I didn't push him. And I sure as hell didn't steal his wallet! Someone else obviously did while he was out cold on the freeway."

Slade growled and brought his tire down hard on her backside, popping her trunk open. Vee glared back at him in her mirror. Though she could no longer see his face, she could feel him rummaging through her belongings. She started squirming and Joey pinned her harder against the wall. Slade also pinned her down as he searched her trunk, digging down to the bottom of it like a dog determined to find a buried bone.

When he reached the floor, he flipped the carpet back and pried her spare tire out. There was silence for a moment. Then with a curse, he dropped the spare back into her trunk and slammed the lid down with such force that Vee yelped in pain. He nodded at Joey, who finally let her go.

"Where is it?" Slade demanded when Vee turned around to face him.

"Where is what?"

"The money. Where is it?"

"What money?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you dirty little skank! I want my money, and I want Kel's money. Now!"

"_Your_ money? Ha!" Vee laughed coldly. "I don't recall ever seeing _you_ on the receiving end of a long haul! And I told you, I didn't take Kel's wallet. Bastard lost it on his own."

Slade snorted. "Right. Point is, he caught you screwing around off the job, and Dodge knows if you did it once, you did it again." Without warning he rammed into her, forcing her up against the same wall where she had been pinned only moments before. The brass fixture hanging above her bounced and two candles popped loose from their holders. Slade didn't seem to noticed as they fell onto Vee's hood, then rolled off onto the floor. Vee felt for them with a tire, recoiling with a hiss when rubber touched flame. Sobbing sounds came from a nearby corner where Yvette was still parked, watching in horror.

Vee's frame groaned as the truck's weight pressed down on her. It took all her strength to bear it while she stealthily kicked the candles out from under her. She watched as one rolled toward a stack of old newspapers near the front door. "Now then," Slade hissed in her ear, "we're going to settle this one of two ways." Vee said nothing. She was too busy watching the feeble flame licking at the edge of the sports section.

"Either you give me my share, or I take it from you." She gave an involuntary shudder as his rear tires brushed languidly against the insides of her own. The flame caught and she smiled. "It's your choice, Vroom. Either way, I'm getting what's mine."

"Yes you are," she purred, as the stack of papers erupted in a blaze.

"What the -!" Slade jumped off her back. Yvette stood frozen in the corner while Joey took off down the hall. Vee drove over to Yvette and nudged her. The terrified Corvette was unmovable. She stared wide-eyed as her boss tried to stamp the fire out and cursed when it burned his tire. Just above him, the sconce was hanging loosely from its hook on the wall. Vee plunged toward him, ramming him so hard against the wall that the fixture fell with a loud clatter into his truck bed. Slade screamed and spun around.

His tailgate flew open, spilling out the contents of his bed. A half-empty quart of oil hit the floor and broke open, soaking the carpet. Several candles followed, lighting the oil stain. Slade took off in search of a fire extinguisher, but the fire grew too fast for him. Within seconds, the entire lobby was ablaze. Vee went back to Yvette and had to hit her hard to get her to budge. Broken from her terrified trance, the younger woman bolted out the front door and into the night. She was quickly followed by Darla and the other girls. Vee stood by watching them go. Her tires seemed rooted to the spot as she waited for Slade and Joey, the only two left in the building aside from herself. She waited until the heat grew unbearable and the smoke too thick to see through.

Dodging a falling stud, she backed out of the building. The air outside was frigid and full of the awful wailing of sirens and flashing red lights. Vee slipped off into the shadows as several fire trucks arrived on the scene. She took the alley and several back streets until she finally reached the freeway. Sailing down the onramp, she revved her engine fiercely until it was clear of smoke, clear of all the memories. The scent of rain and autumn leaves on the night air was a promise of a brighter future, and she drove toward it as fast as she could without looking back.

* * *

_Check out the illustration for this chapter on DeviantArt to see what Slade looks like. _


	21. Unspoken Sentiments

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:  
UNSPOKEN SENTIMENTS

"And that's what happened," Vee said. She took a half-hearted sip of her soda and Mack did the same, looking down at her with a mixture of pity and worry as he digested everything she had just told him about her escape from Slade.

"Then you drove all the way out here?" he asked.

Vee shook her hood. "Not exactly. I stopped in Phoenix for a couple of days first. I was low on gas and had no money so I…" she paused, closing her eyes and swallowing a lump in her throat. When she spoke again it was almost a whisper. "I turned a few tricks while I was there." She took another sip of her cherry Pepsi and grimaced, looking for all the world as though she'd just swallowed lemon juice.

Not knowing what to say, Mack sipped at his Seven Up, making a similar face. He leaned toward his friend in a gesture of comfort. The top of his cab pressed against the canopy, which groaned in protest. He and Vee were the only ones at Flo's that afternoon. It was a very slow day, so slow that Flo herself had told Mia and Tia to take off early.

"Joey caught up with me in Phoenix. Told me Slade got burned pretty bad in the fire and wanted me dead. I ran, and he came after me. I lost him on Route Sixty-six and hid out in that grove by the tractor field. He found me there not long after and he -" Vee choked on a sob.

"Tried to kill you," Mack supplied. Vee started to nod, but then shook her hood fiercely.

"It wasn't that simple," she murmured, gazing absently across the lot. She sighed heavily. "He tried to rape me first." Mack stared down at her, eyes widened in shock. "That combine saved me, though. He chased him away and started a stampede. I stayed in the grove for awhile after that, and when I left, Joey came after me again. Chased me until he saw Sheriff, then split. I don't know where he is now, but he can't be far away. Knowing him and Slade, they won't rest till I'm dead."

A stifling silence fell between the two vehicles. Again Mack tried to think of something to say, but came up with nothing that wouldn't sound forced or cliché. Desperate for something to do to ease the tension, he noisily sucked down the rest of his soda. Flo must have heard him from the café, because she drove over to him and asked if he wanted a refill.

"Oh, no thanks," he mumbled, blushing.

"How 'bout you?" she asked Vee. Vee shook her hood without looking at Flo, who gazed at her curiously. "Something wrong, Sugar?" Vee shook her hood again, but this time made eye contact and forced a small smile.

"I've just got a lot on my mind right now," she explained, then took a long sip from her soda to call an end to the conversation. Flo looked at her doubtfully, but appeared to accept her answer. She drove back into the café, leaving the two vehicles alone once again.

"What are you going to do?" Mack asked Vee. His words and worried tone reminded her of Yvette, who had asked the same thing. At the time, Vee had had an answer. She'd had confidence. Now, she had neither.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice frail. "I thought I knew when I left L.A., but I don't anymore. While I was on the road, I thought about my options. Mom died two years ago, so I knew I couldn't go home again. The only family I have left are my aunts and a few cousins. Aunt Vera's up in Oregon, and Aunt Vicky lives way over in Baltimore. And I never really had any friends. Not since high school, anyway. The girls from the escort agency were the closest I had, but none of them were really all that friendly. All I could think to do was keep on going till I ran out of gas and then start a new life wherever I ended up." She glanced up at Mack. "Not much of a plan, is it?"

"Not really, no." Mack hesitated before going on. "You could have looked me up, you know."

Vee sighed sadly. "I know, but… at the time I - I guess I didn't think… I mean, I thought if you knew what I was doing you wouldn't…"

"What? Help you? Vee, you're my best friend! How could I not want to help you?" Mack asked incredulously. "I don't care if you're an escort. Hell, you could be a serial killer for all I care. That wouldn't change the way I feel about you." Vee gave him a doubtful smirk and he chuckled. "Okay, so maybe I'd worry about being next on your list, but you'd still be my best friend."

Vee's eyes shone brightly as she gazed up at him and for a moment, Mack was certain that they were filling with tears. She closed them tight suddenly and scooted closer to him until their sides were touching. She leaned into him with a sigh. "Thank you, Mack. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Mack blushed slightly and smiled, his engine warming. He leaned back against her, brushing a front tire against hers.

"Why did I ever go to work for that bastard?" Vee murmured to herself, but quite loud enough for her friend to hear. "Why did I abandon everything that was ever important to me? My friends, my dreams… there was so much I left behind."

"You've still got me," Mack said, nudging her. Vee chuckled.

"That's true. But I didn't for a while there. The last time I saw you was at our ten-year reunion. I'd just started working for Slade." There was a bitterness in her voice when she mentioned the name of her former employer that made Mack feel guilty. It pained him to see her dwell on something so unpleasant.

"What are your dreams?" he asked her suddenly, somewhat surprised to hear the words come out of his mouth.

"Beyond winning a Piston Cup? I dunno. Win the lottery. See the world. Be a movie star. Kick Sheriff's ass. You know, the usual."

Mack gave her a mock look of bemusement. "What? No finding Mr. Right? Or getting married and having a bunch of kids?"

Vee snorted. "Hell no! Where'd you get a crazy idea like that?"

"I don't know. I thought that was supposed to be the average woman's goal in life."

"Well, I'm not exactly the average woman," Vee said with a smirk.

Mack chuckled. "Don't I know it!"

Vee chuckled too. "Of course, finding a nice guy who gives a tractor's ass about me and not just my body would be refreshing," she said, taking a sip from her drink. "Like that's even a remote possibility."

"What about me? I give a tractor's ass about you!" Mack said, a little loudly. He blushed crimson as he realized what he'd said. When he dared to look down at Vee, he could have sworn that she was blushing too.

"I know you do," she said, gazing evenly at him. "And I -"

"Ah, there you are!"

Mack and Vee both jumped and turned at the same time to see Doc Hudson pulling into the lot. He drove up to Vee. "I've been looking for you," he said. "Listen, I just got a phone call from a colleague in Carburetor City. He wants me to come up there right away to help him with a case. Before I go, I want to leave you a key to the clinic so you can take care of things for me until I get back." He handed her a key and she took it, staring at him questioningly.

"Sheriff's got a key too, but I want you to have one so you'll have access to everything in case there's a medical emergency. Also, if you could tidy things up in there and alphabetize those files on my desk, I'd really appreciate it."

"Sure, no problem," Vee said with a smile. "I mean, if you really wanna trust me with all that stuff…"

"And why shouldn't I?" Doc asked, though he was smiling too. "After all, Mack trusts you, doesn't he?" He glanced up at Mack, who grinned and nodded. "And I trust Mack, so why not?"

"Well thanks, Doc," Vee replied. "That really means a lot to me. And don't you worry. I'll take good care of everything while you're gone. I won't let you down. I promise."

"Great. Well, I'd better get going. I probably won't be back until tomorrow or the day after. See you then."

Mack and Vee said goodbye to Doc, Mack somewhat uneasy as he realized the Hornet's absence would provide the perfect opportunity for Sheriff to bully Vee without fear of admonition. His suspicions were confirmed a few minutes later as Sheriff drove up to Flo's after seeing Doc off down the road. The squad car pulled up beside Vee, eyeing the clinic key Doc had given her with a smirk.

"Doc may trust you," he growled, "but I sure as hell don't. I'm watching you, girl, and if I find one thing out of place in that clinic, you'll be sleeping in the impound lot. You got that?"

Vee said nothing, only matched his glare with one of her own.

* * *

_I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I wrote it mainly as a transition between Ford's Escorts and what is to come. Things will really start to take off in the next chapter, but this had to come first. Please review anyway if you can. Reviews are always appreciated. Any thoughts you may have, questions, ideas, even criticisms - just let me know. Thanks. _


	22. Braking Point

_All right peoples, things are really gonna start taking off now, so grab your popcorn and fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride! FYI, strong language and violence ahead. And yes, I purposely misspelled the word 'breaking' as 'braking.' It's car humor. Ha ha. _

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:  
BRAKING POINT

Later that afternoon Vee took the key that Doc had entrusted her with and unlocked the clinic door. Once inside, she drove over to the desk and started sorting through the files lying on top of it. There were over four dozen in need of alphabetizing. The topmost file was Sheriff's, and it took her a huge amount of effort to resist peeking inside it. It was the same with Sarge's file, though she couldn't help but notice the name on the front.

"William Armyson?" she snorted. "Oh yeah. That's reeaaal original."

A faint breeze ruffled the papers on the desk, and Vee weighed them down with a stapler to keep them from flying away. The doors had been left open in order to allow some much-needed fresh air into the stuffy, peroxide-reeking clinic. At that moment Sheriff drove by. He stopped, peeked in, grunted, and continued on his way. Vee ignored him. Her decision to leave the doors open while she worked had apparently eased the squad car's suspicions about her.

Mack drove up a few minutes later and stuck his nose into the clinic. "Hey Vee," he greeted her.

Vee glanced up at him and smiled. "Oh hey. 'Sup?"

"Eh, not much. Just wanted to make sure Sheriff's not giving you any trouble."

Vee shook her hood. "None lately."

"So… he hasn't bothered you at all?"

"Nope."

"Really? Not even a little bit?" Mack asked, his tone sounding almost hopeful. "Cuz if he is, just lemme know and I can hang out here while you're working. You know, t-to keep him from bothering you," he added with a blush.

Vee smirked at him. "Thanks, but that won't be necessary."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"So what you're saying is you don't want me around," Mack concluded, his words heavy with feigned sadness. He pouted his lower lip out for effect.

Vee chuckled. "That's right," she said airily. "I've got a lot of work to do here, and I'm sure you'd just be bored stiff keeping me company."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Mack agreed. "Compared to that, sorting out recyclables with Mater sounds like a real thrill."

"Well, don't let me keep you," Vee teased. "If that's even half as fun as it sounds, then you'd better hurry on over to the junkyard before Mater takes all the good stuff."

Mack chuckled. "Yeah, guess I'd better." He paused a moment, watching her as she riffled through some paperwork before stuffing it inside a folder. "Sooo… you're sure you won't need me around?"

"Yup," Vee replied without looking up.

"You're absolutely positive?"

"Mm-hm."

"There's not a single reason you can think of for me to be here at all?" he prodded. Vee glanced up at him, raising a brow. "I'd make a good paperweight," he added with a grin. Vee smirked, but said nothing. She returned her attention to the files.

"So if you're absolutely, positively, one-hundred percent certain that you don't need me…"

Vee heaved a frustrated sigh and drove over to the door. "_Yes_, Mack. I am absolutely, positively, one-hundred and ONE percent certain that I don't need you here pestering me right now!" Her playful grin betrayed her exasperated tone. "Now go on! Shoo!" She waved him away with a tire. "Go help Mater. I'll manage. In fact, I'll probably manage a lot better once you're gone."

Mack chuckled. "All right, all right. I'm going," he said as he pulled away from the doorframe. "But don't come crawling to me when all hell breaks loose while I'm away!"

Vee snorted. "Somehow I doubt running out of paperclips counts as a catastrophe."

Mack grinned wickedly and shrugged. "Eh, well… you never know." He turned toward the street and paused, looking back at her in his mirror. "See ya at Flo's later?"

"You know it!" Vee replied, then went back to sorting the files.

About a quarter of an hour later, Vee slipped the last alphabetized file - her own - into the filing cabinet along with the others. With a self-satisfied sigh, she looked around the clinic, contemplating her next chore. Almost immediately she spotted the oil stains on the floor. A few dry drops led from the open door to the lift, around which a much larger amount had pooled over time. The thought that most of that oil had probably come from her made her grimace.

Fishing out some cleaning supplies from a cupboard, Vee got to work quickly. After a minute or two of silent scrubbing, she turned her radio on and fine-tuned it to an oldies station on which the Beach Boys were singing "Little Deuce Coupe." She turned the volume up, humming along with the song as she cleaned. The late afternoon sun gleamed over the linoleum, making every last speck of oil and dirt stand out as if to jeer at her effort. Vee scrubbed furiously, even as the Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" started to cast its soothing spell over the clinic.

Out of nowhere a shadow fell across the floor. Vee turned her radio down and looked up, squinting to make out the bulky-looking silhouette standing at the threshold. For a second she thought it was Sheriff again, and opened her mouth to "politely" ask him whether or not a girl could enjoy a good tune without getting the third degree. But all that came out was a gasp.

"Joey!"

A large silver SUV, covered from bumper to bumper in numerous scrapes, dents and caked-in dirt, Slade's bouncer/henchman said nothing as he rolled into the clinic, kicking the doors shut behind him. Vee backed away, engine racing. He puffed himself up, glaring down at her as though daring her to run. Vee cast frantic glances around the room, but either she didn't see anything that might help, or her panicked mind could not formulate a proper plan.

Joey's lip curled in a sneer. He drove closer to her, backing her up against the counter. "Whore," he growled, in a voice that sent shudders through her frame. He raised a tire and placed it over her right headlight.

"N-no," Vee pleaded. She tried to back up even further, but to no avail. Trembling, she sank to the floor. Joey seemed to be towering over her now, his tire pressed so hard against her headlight that she thought it would crack at any moment. Swallowing a sob, she shut her eyes tight and mouthed a silent prayer before making her move.

With an earsplitting rev, Vee burst forward, sending Joey reeling across the room. He hit a cabinet, putting a large dent in its side. Tongue depressors, sparkplugs, and other medical supplies spilled out and littered the floor. Vee turned and headed toward the door. Joey lunged forward and struck her hard. She flew sideways and rolled over the desk. Papers scattered everywhere.

Joey shoved the desk out of the way and lunged at her again. She dodged just in time and he hit the wall. Vee bolted toward the door again, only to find it blocked by the desk. Without hesitating she threw all her weight against it, but was unable to move it fast enough. Joey rounded on her. He reared up and came down hard on her back, pinning her down. Vee yelped. She struggled underneath him, revving her engine as she tried to pull herself out from under him, but he held on tight, forcing her to the ground.

Vee switched into reverse and accelerated. Joey roared in pain. He jumped off her and backed away, his back tires turned inward and shaking. Vee smirked, knowing she'd hit him in a very sensitive place. The look he gave her just then was one of pure loathing. "You're dead, bitch," he growled, then hurled himself at her.

Vee headed for the door again, but Joey was too quick. He struck her back end, jarring her. She swung around to face him, waiting for his next attack. He lunged again and she swerved out of the way. She felt him graze her side as he sailed past and into the desk, knocking it away from the door. Vee saw her chance and seized it. Something grabbed her rear tire suddenly, forcing her to stop just short of her goal.

Joey yanked her back toward himself, heedless of her frantic kicks until she managed to land one right in his mouth. He cried out and released her. Vee burst out the door. "HELP!" she screamed out, over and over as Joey grabbed her again and dragged her back into the clinic. He swung her around and threw her against a stand. A monitor and other machines sitting on top of it went crashing to the floor. Vee kicked the now-empty stand at him in her attempt to get away. He shoved it aside and it hit a shelf, knocking several cans of oil to the floor.

Half of them broke open, releasing an ocean of ooze. Vee slipped on her way to the door. Joey slid too as he charged after her, hitting the wall. The sound of a siren outside alerted them both that Sheriff was on his way. Joey flashed Vee a murderous glare, then bolted out of the clinic. Vee stared after him, watching the door swinging in his wake. Lying in a puddle of oil and soaked debris, she felt oddly numb, even as the screaming siren grew louder and louder.

Moments later Sheriff came bursting into the clinic. He screeched to a halt, staring in utmost shock at the scene that lay before him. Vee didn't need to look around to know how bad the damage was. The entire clinic had been thoroughly thrashed during the scuffle. Nearly everything breakable had been broken. All that remained intact was the stunned Chrysler sitting in the middle of the wreckage, staring unblinking back at the squad car.

A very long and painful silence stretched between them. It seemed to take an eternity for Sheriff to gather himself enough to speak. Vee watched, fear rising like bile in her throat as the look on his face went from shocked to furious in no time flat. The daggers he glared at her stabbed far deeper than the deadliest look either Slade or Joey had ever given her.

Vee shook her hood, trying to back up and slipping in the oil. "It's… it's not… no… p-please… I… I can explain…" she babbled as Sheriff advanced on her.

The sound of another vehicle pulling up outside caught her attention. She looked past Sheriff to see Mack trying to push himself through the doorway. "Oh Dodge…" he breathed, looking around at the mess. His eyes landed on Vee and he stared at her in horror. "Vee, are you all right?" he asked, voice shrill with worry. He glanced around again. "Wh - what happened?"

Before she could answer, Sheriff snorted and turned to face the semi with a smirk. "You sure know how to pick 'em, don't you, boy?" he said. Mack glared at him, but did not reply. Sheriff turned back to Vee, his grille twitching into an even haughtier smirk. Without warning, he seized her left front tire and slapped a parking boot onto it. Both Vee and Mack gasped in unison.

"What the -" Vee squeaked, giving the squad car a beseeching look.

There wasn't even the slightest trace of amusement on his face as he answered her silent question. "You're under arrest."

* * *

_Oh. My. God. That did NOT just happen! XD Ooooh, I am so wicked! But I warned you. Oh yes. I totally warned you things were heating up. Now that you've read this, go ahead and take a quick breather to calm your nerves, then sprint over to DeviantArt to check out the illustration. You know you want to. The pic itself isn't violent, but you'll get to see what Mr. A-hole, I mean Joey, looks like. More to come very, very soon! Until then, pleasepleaseplease R&R!_


	23. No U Turns

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:  
NO U TURNS

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney…"

Vee stared numbly at Sheriff as he read her her rights. Her eyes drifted past him to Mack, the look on his face reflecting her own horrified expression. She said nothing, even as the squad car asked her perfunctorily if she understood her rights. Of the dozens of thoughts screaming in her mind at that moment, not a single one of them managed to leave her mouth. It was Mack who spoke on her behalf.

"Now wait just a damn second, Sheriff! You don't honestly think she had anything to do with this mess, do you?"

The squad car didn't even turn to face him as he replied, "Get your head out of the clouds, boy! Just look around! You see anyone else who could've done this?"

"That doesn't mean Vee did it!" Mack argued. "Aren't you going to at least ask her what happened?"

"Don't need to. I think it's obvious enough."

Outside, the sound of motors preceded the approach of several vehicles. Mack turned a mirror to see nearly the entire town gathering behind him. Sally was the first one to reach the clinic.

"Mack, what's going on?" she asked, looking worried. "I heard a woman scream."

"Whut in tarnation happened in here?" Mater shouted, squeezing past Mack to look inside the clinic. Right behind him, Ramone lifted himself up on his hydraulics to get a better view.

"Man, it's that Vee chick!" he yelled back to the rest of the crowd. By now everyone present was trying to force their way to the front, shoving and bumping into Mack just to get by. The semi felt someone climb over his fifth wheel and tensed. Judging by the tiny wheels and extra appendages he felt, he knew it had to be Guido. Thoroughly annoyed now, Mack growled and turned to Vee.

"Vee, what happened?" he asked. "Who did this?"

Vee was so busy staring fearfully at the crowd outside that at first she didn't answer him. "It was Joey," she said at last, eyes shining with the threat of tears. "H-he came back. _He tried to kill me_!" she shouted, now turning an enraged glare on Sheriff. Mack heard several gasps behind him at this revelation. Far from convinced, Sheriff snorted. "It's the truth!" Vee insisted. "My boss and his crony both want me dead!"

Sheriff rolled his eyes. "I wonder why."

"You can't arrest her!" Mack declared. "I know Vee's innocent! She'd never do anything like this!"

"Innocent as a call girl!" Sheriff retorted, before turning to the others. "Nothing to see here, folks. The guilty party has been apprehended and will now be taken into custody!" he said with an air of great importance, as though he'd just nabbed one of America's most wanted and saved a gaggle of potential victims all in one heroic move. "Mater, tow this riffraff over to Impound, pronto!"

Far from compliant, Mater gaped at him as if he'd just instructed him to do something very unpleasant with his tow hook. When he didn't move, Sheriff scowled and ordered him again.

"B-but Sheriff, Ah cain't -"

"Oh yes you can, and you will! Or so help me Dodge I'll haul you to Impound myself for obstruction of justice!"

"What justice?" Mack demanded, moving aside to allow Mater into the clinic. "Didn't you hear? Someone tried to kill Vee! That same someone wrecked the clinic too, and you're arresting _her_? Serve and protect my ass! You're just another pig as far as I'm concerned!"

Vee gasped. "Mack!"

The crowd also gasped as Sheriff rounded on him with a look of cold fury. "One more word out of you and you'll be joining your friend," he said in a deadly tone that would have sent shivers through any other vehicle. Mack matched his glare and stood his ground.

"Good," he growled, holding a front tire out. "Go ahead. Arrest me." The look he gave the squad car seemed to dare him to try to slap a boot on him. For a moment, Sheriff merely stared up at him, speechless. He glanced down at Mack's enormous tire as though considering. The doubtful look on his face was quickly replaced with another scowl.

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that one!" Sheriff growled. "That's exactly what you want, isn't it? Well, no dice!" He turned to Mater, who was standing several feet away in the shadows as though hoping to go unnoticed. "Mater! Tow! Now!" Sheriff barked. The tow truck rolled as slowly as possible over to Vee, offering her an apologetic look but not moving to hook her.

"I said NOW!" Sheriff ordered, and Mater flinched as though he'd been struck.

With a heavy sigh, he drove behind Vee. Though she was expecting it, the sudden sensation of the tow hook gripping her back bumper and lifting her up took her by surprise. She gasped.

"Sorry 'bout this, Miss Vee," Mater murmured as he turned toward the door.

"Don't be," she replied, meeting his eye in the split second that he was level with her before she found herself being turned around and dragged backwards out of the clinic.

The rusty gate slammed shut with a clang that seemed to Mack to be far too loud for such frail-looking metal. Vee hobbled forward, pressing her free tire up against the chain link fence and looking up at him sadly. He returned the look tenfold. Standing next to the big rig, Mater averted his eyes as though he'd been privy to a stolen kiss. He mumbled another apology before driving away. Vee watched him go, but Mack did not take his eyes off his friend even for a second.

The last rays of the sun cast a rosy glow on the Chrysler's right side, turning her lavender paintjob to an almost neon pink. Despite the parking boot clamped ruthlessly to her wheel and the tears dancing in her eyes, she would have looked downright breathtaking if it weren't for the forbidding fence that stood between the two best friends. Mack raised his own tire and pressed it to hers. "Vee…"

Behind him, Sheriff snorted. "All right, visiting hours are over," he declared, shoving his way between them both. Mack shot him an icy glare and growled. It took all of his willpower to keep from punching the squad car's headlights out. "You best keep your distance from this one," Sheriff said with a nod toward Vee. "No funny business. Go on home now and stay there."

Mack bit his lip to hold back an unfavorable expletive and rolled slowly over to his lean-to at the edge of the impound lot. He scooted under it, glaring at Sheriff the whole time. Sheriff glared back.

"You're gonna have to go further than that!" he called out. "I don't want to see you within a hundred yards of this woman!"

Mack bared his teeth. "In case you've forgotten, this is where I live!" he growled.

"Well, it's too close! Now move!"

"I will not! You have no right to order me out of my own home, Sheriff! I'm staying right here!"

Sheriff narrowed his eyes at Mack as though he were concentrating on setting him on fire with his mind. He looked the semi over, once again taking in his size and considering his options. "Fine," he said at last. "If that's how it's gonna be, then I'm staying too! I won't have you fraternizing with the accused," he announced, flashing a haughty glance at Vee as he said this.

Vee said nothing. She didn't so much as give him a scathing look in response. She was beyond upset at this point, the reality of her situation only just now beginning to weigh on her. Sheriff turned sideways and parked in front of the gate to the impound lot as though to bar passage through it. Vee only gave him a mildly annoyed look before turning away. Sinking to the ground, she closed her eyes and sobbed quietly, fighting back tears.

Several yards away, Mack heard her as clearly as though he were standing right beside her. His heart sank at the sound. He wanted nothing more just then than to break that stupid fence down and throw his tires around her and tell her everything was going to be okay, that he'd bail her out and keep her safe and let no one - not Sheriff or Joey or even Slade - hurt her ever again.

A twig snapped. Vee jolted to her tires, looking around frantically. A shadow caught her eye. There was no mistaking the hulking shape as it glided between the trees behind the impound lot. Vee's engine nearly died. "Joey…"

Blinking back his own tears, Mack looked down at the ground. In the last of the light there lay a large bolt. He frowned down at it, thinking it must have fallen off of his house. With a sneer he kicked it as hard as he could. It sailed into the impound lot and hit something metal, making a loud clunk.

Vee jumped at the noise and turned toward its source. Through the scattered wreckage of oil drums, scrap metal and other debris, she could just barely make out a splotch of red in the gloom. Mack. She cast a cautious glance over at her guard. Sheriff was listening to his scanner, cursing as he attempted to fine-tune it. Vee caught something about a pileup on Interstate Forty before the frequency was lost to static again.

It took a ridiculous amount of effort to crawl across the lot with a parking boot on while making as little noise as possible. Pushing aside large splinters of weathered wood, crushed beer cans and an occasional tire, Vee inched her way silently, eyes trained on the bit of red that she knew to be her friend. Exhausted from her efforts, she figured at least five minutes had passed by the time she reached the fence.

Right on the other side of it, just beyond spitting distance, loomed the shape of the lean-to, now a black silhouette against the night sky. She could just make out Mack resting beneath it. Suddenly afraid to speak, Vee turned her headlights on to get his attention.

Mack jumped and gasped. "Vee!" he whispered, turning on his own lights and driving over to the fence. "What are you doing?"

"I have to get out of here, Mack!" she answered, the expression on her face no less worried even as she blinked against his high beams.

"Sorry," he mumbled, dimming them. "What's wrong?"

"It's Joey! He's out there!" Vee jabbed her free tire toward the back of the lot. Mack's eyes widened in horror.

"What?" He looked over at the grove of trees where Vee had seen the shadow lurking minutes before. "Where?"

"I don't know. I think he's gone now, but - Mack, he's going to kill me!" Vee's voice was shrill. "He'll tell Slade where I am, and then they'll both come to get me!"

Mack looked at her in alarm. "But you're in jail! You don't think they're actually gonna come after you now, do you? With Sheriff right there?"

"I _know_ they will! Slade wouldn't care. He'd probably kill Sheriff just to get to me!"

Mack glanced over at Sheriff, who appeared to be asleep. "Well - what are we going to do?"

Vee shook her hood. "I don't know but I - AAAIIIEE!" she yelped and threw herself against the fence. "Something hit me!"

Mack looked around. "It's just a beetle," he said, forgetting to whisper. Vee looked in her mirror to see a little white bug driving along her side. She shook it off.

"I thought for a minute there it was -"

"HEY!"

Mack and Vee both jumped at the sound of Sheriff's voice. They turned and squinted as the squad car approached them with both his high beams and his searchlight fixed on them. He stopped in front of Mack. "What did I tell you about talking to the accused?"

"I don't care what you said!" Mack snapped. "Vee's in danger here. There are two men out to kill her and you're treating her like she's a criminal!"

"Don't you sass me, boy!" Sheriff snapped back. "I don't care how big you are! I'll have you put away so fast you won't even know what hit you!"

"Oh yeah?" Mack rolled out from under his lean-to and puffed himself up, glaring down at Sheriff as though daring him to try anything. Sheriff backed away, but otherwise showed no outer sign that he was intimidated.

"Threatening a police officer," Sheriff shook his hood disappointedly. "You do realize that backup is only a call away, right? Don't make me do it, Mack. I like you. Or at least I did until that _friend _of yours showed up," he grumbled, putting a sarcastic emphasis on the word 'friend' that deepened Mack's frown. "Now you need to think about what's more important here: getting yourself in trouble over some girl, or keeping my respect."

Mack looked over at Vee, whose eyes were shining with the threat of tears. Sheriff glanced her way too, but his gaze did not linger as Mack's did. His grille twitched into a sneer. When he looked up at the truck again, his expression had softened.

"Is she really worth it?" he asked quietly, and Mack turned to him again. "Think about it, son. I trust you'll make the right choice."

Mack stared at Sheriff for several seconds, his face blank. Then he looked back at Vee, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Nearly an entire minute ticked by as Vee tried in vain to read him, to communicate to him without words, to plead with him, but to no avail.

With a heavy sigh, Mack turned away. Vee stared at his back, stunned. "Mack?" The semi did not respond. Driving slowly toward the street, he did not even acknowledge Sheriff's smug grin. Staring straight ahead, Mack reached the asphalt and turned, heading away from the town. Vee continued to stare after him until he disappeared in the distance. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her hood. "Mack…"

Sheriff said nothing. He turned his nose up with a snort and drove back to his post in front of the gate. Vee turned away from the road, only to find herself facing the lean-to. Through a haze of tears, she glared hard at the empty space beneath it as though willing Mack to reappear. But no matter how hard she prayed, no matter how many times she blinked, he would not.

There was no telling how much time had passed as Vee lay weeping in the dark, huddled between two oil drums. One tire still clung weakly to the chain link fence that separated her from freedom, from Mack. _Mack…_Vee kicked an old tin can aside, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. It took her a long time to notice the rumbling noise in the distance. Lifting herself up off the ground, she looked in the direction her friend had gone and her eyes widened.

Dozens of tractors were stampeding toward Radiator Springs. Vee could only stare in awe as they plowed past the impound lot, mooing and snorting frantically. She heard Sheriff cursing loudly and turned to look toward the gate. There was too much junk in the way to see, but then there was no need. The squad car's incoherent shouts were drowned out suddenly by the sound of his siren, which was quite loud at first, but quickly grew fainter as he drove off after the tractors.

Vee started crawling back the way she had come earlier, curious to see what was going on. A familiar voice called out her name and her heart leapt. Mack! Suddenly feeling as light as a feather, Vee raced toward the gate as quickly as though she had shed the parking boot. Tears of joy stung her eyes when she saw the big rig standing at the gate.

"Mack!" she shouted. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"Out to the tractor field," he said breathlessly, grinning down at her.

"You mean you started the stampede?" Vee asked incredulously.

"That's right! I needed to get Sheriff out of the way and that was the only way I could think of." He hit the switch to open the gate, but it wouldn't budge. "What the -?"

"He put a padlock on it," Vee told him, nodding toward said lock. "He's got the key, too."

Mack kicked the gate hard. "Damn it!" Huffing a frustrated breath through his grille, he glanced down at the large dent he had put in it and smiled. "That's it!" he exclaimed, then went into reverse. "Get back!" he commanded. Vee scuttled away from the gate, giving him plenty of room. Mack backed away until he was on the opposite side of the street. Vee sucked in a breath and held it, eyes glued on him. With a mighty rev of his engine, Mack surged forward. There was an earsplitting clang. The gate went down without a fight, stirring up a large cloud of dust as it hit the ground. Vee coughed, waving the dust away. Before she realized what was happening, Mack had removed the boot and was nudging her out of the lot.

"This way!" he said. "Hurry!"

Vee followed him silently, her engine and her mind both racing. Mack led her around his lean-to and through the grove of trees behind the lot. She was so caught up in the moment that she completely forgot that Joey might still be lurking there. The trees gave way to houses, behind which stood Lightning McQueen's trailer.

Mack stopped so suddenly that Vee nearly collided with him. She heard a scraping noise as Mack appeared to be fiddling with something on the back of the trailer. Though she was curious, she did not dare to ask him what he was doing. After what seemed like hours, he turned to her and said, "Get in!"

Puzzled, Vee looked past him. The trailer door was open and the ramp was down. Her eyes widened. "Mack, we can't -!"

"Damn it Vee, there's no time to argue! Sheriff's gonna find us if we don't hurry up and get out of here now!"

Vee continued to stare at the trailer, mouth agape. Mack heaved a frustrated sigh and moved behind her. "Come on!" he growled, shoving her forward. Vee gasped and drove up the ramp, which promptly closed behind her. Inside the trailer it was pitch black. It was silent too, save for the frantic whir of her engine. Numb, Vee sat there in the dark trying to gather her thoughts. The trailer trembled, then jolted. Vee jumped. Lights came on suddenly and she stared in awe at her surroundings.

"Hey Vee, can you hear me back there?" Mack's voice sounded scratchy over the intercom.

"Y-yeah," Vee squeaked, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I hear you." Shaking slightly, she glanced up at the variety of Lightning McQueen memorabilia. Stickers, die casts, bobble-heads, photos… it was like a having a hundred Lightnings grinning down at her, and all of a sudden, their smiles were far from pleasant. Vee shuddered as the trailer began to move.

"Mack, wait!" she shouted. "You can't do this! It's wrong!"

Vee heard a derisive laugh. "And letting my best friend get killed is right?"

"But -"

"Forget it, Vee. You can't talk me out of this. What's done is done, and this truck does not make U-turns!"

Vee collapsed onto the plush carpet with a heavy sigh. _Chrysler…_

* * *

_WOO-HOOOOOOOO! Now pick those jaws up off the floor and give me a holler! I know you've all got something to say about this chapter! BTW, who's planning to read the sequel? Oh yes, there's gonna be a sequel, whether you like it or not! XD I'm hoping you do, though. _


	24. The Road Ahead

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:  
THE ROAD AHEAD

The hours and the miles rolled on. Mack drove in silence along Route Sixty-six, heading west. Radiator Springs was far behind them now, little more than a memory in its distance. Vee lay alone in the trailer, mind abuzz. Of all the events that had transpired that day, what she and Mack were doing now was by far the craziest. Every time she looked up, an entire congregation of Lightning McQueens in varying forms glared down at her, rendering their guilty verdict.

Several times that night Vee begged her friend to pull over, but each time he refused. Mack was determined to put as much distance as possible behind them first. It was past midnight by the time he finally relented. Pulling off onto a dirt road, he followed it for a short stretch until the entire trailer was hidden among the hills and out of sight from the highway. Exhausted, he unhitched himself and drove around to the rear of the trailer just as Vee rolled down the ramp. A Lightning bobble-head tumbled out after her.

"Well!" she sighed, looking around. "This is it, isn't it? I'm a fugitive now. I'm wanted for a crime I didn't commit and a crime I DID commit. I'm free now, but at a price I'll have to pay later, no doubt. How's that for poetic justice?"

Mack smirked at her. "Yeah, well… don't forget I was the one who helped you escape. That means we're both fugitives."

Vee looked up at him in surprise, as though the truth had only just dawned on her. Then suddenly she lunged forward and punched Mack hard with a tire. He hardly even flinched, but was now looking rather stunned.

"That's for being so damn stupid!" she huffed. "What the hell were you thinking, Mack? Don't you realize how much trouble you're in now for helping me? Huh? What - were - you _- thinking_?!"

"I was thinking about YOU!" he argued. "There was no way I was going to just leave you there for Joey and Slade to get to! You're my best friend, Vee! If anything happened to you, I'd… I'd…" with a heavy sigh, Mack shook his hood and turned away to fiddle with the snow chains dangling from the side of the trailer. "I'd never forgive myself," he finished quietly, without looking at her.

Vee opened her mouth to speak, but could think of nothing to say. She drove closer to him and touched his tire with hers. "Mack, I - as much as I appreciate everything you've done for me, I just can't let you get mixed up in this mess. It's my life, I messed it up, and now I've got to deal with it. I don't want to mess up your life too."

Mack looked down at her as if she'd struck him again. "You could never mess up my life!" he replied. "If anything, you've made it all the more worth living. And if you think you can scare me off, then you've got another think coming!"

"But Mack -"

"But nothing! I'm with you for the long haul. BFFs, remember?" The smile he gave her just then staved off any last arguments she may have had. After a moment she was smiling back, eyes shining with starlight and tears.

With a small sob, Vee threw her tires around Mack in a tight embrace. With one enormous yet gentle tire he hugged her back, patting her roof soothingly. They stayed that way for the next minute or two, not speaking. The silence between them said far more than words ever could. When Vee finally let go of him, she was calm and composed, her tears dried. She turned away a little to look back at the trailer. The ramp was still down and the inside lit up. At the bottom of the ramp lay the Lightning bobble-head that had fallen out of the trailer.

"I can't believe you stole Lightning McQueen's trailer," she murmured, picking it up. She drove up the ramp and set it on the trailer floor, then stood there, taking in the luxurious interior as though she hadn't just spent the past few hours riding in it.

"I prefer to think of it as commandeering," Mack replied. Vee smirked at him in her mirror.

"Why'd you do it?" she asked, backing down the ramp and turning to face him again. "We don't need it. In fact, we could get by a lot faster and easier without it. I could, anyway."

Mack nodded. "True, but I thought you'd be safer in there. No one would see you, either."

"Yeah, but did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, hauling around a humongous trailer with McQueen's picture on it might be just a little bit conspicuous?" Vee asked, turning to face the side of the trailer. Her headlights illuminated the enormous image of Lightning and the Rusteze logo imprinted on it. Mack stared at it in horror.

"I hadn't thought of that," he admitted with a blush. "I was only thinking about keeping you safe from Slade."

Vee shut her lights off. "Well, I'd be surprised if Sheriff hasn't issued an APB on us by now."

"We'll just have to keep moving, then," said Mack, shutting his lights off too. The silence fell as heavily as the sudden darkness between them. It was a long time before he spoke again. "Well, it's late, and I'm beat. I guess we should both try and get some sleep. We'll figure out what we're gonna do in the morning, okay?"

Vee nodded without looking at him. "'Kay." She backed up the ramp and settled down on her undercarriage on the soft carpet. Mack looked in at her, his face unreadable.

"Good night, then," he said quietly, trying to smile for her.

"'Night, Mack. And thank you," she replied. Mack caught a glimpse of her smile just before the ramp came up, closing the trailer door. He stared at it for a long moment before parking himself in front of it and closing his eyes.

Vee was jolted awake the next morning by the trailer floor vibrating beneath her. She blinked rapidly and looked around. It was bright outside the tinted windows and the glowing green numbers on the digital clock told her it was nearly ten-thirty a.m.. Vee yawned and stretched, watching the desert rolling past outside. It was cloudy out, and it looked like it had rained a little. Countless rocks, weeds and Joshua trees littered the flat plains. Dark, ominous mountains loomed ahead.

Vee cleared her throat and hit the intercom switch. "Mack?"

Several static-filled seconds passed before he answered her. "Well good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Mack said cheerfully.

"Morning," Vee replied, yawning again. "How long have you been driving?"

"Since sunrise. I picked up Sheriff's report on my CB earlier. He seems to think we're on I-Forty. Good thing I didn't go that route, huh?"

"I'll say."

"Needless to say the Highway Patrol's out there looking for us. Doesn't sound like they're even going to check Route Sixty-six, but we can't be too careful."

"How far have we gone so far?"

"Uhhh, 'bout two hundred and sixty miles."

Vee gasped. "That's it? Jeez, Mack, I've seen Lizzie move faster than you!"

Mack's chuckle was thick with static. "Yeah, well, I suppose we could've gone twice as far if I hadn't taken so many back roads to avoid being seen. That, and drinking too much coffee. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pull over this morning just to take a leak!" Vee laughed. "Speaking of which…"

The trailer began to vibrate again, this time more violently, as Mack pulled off the road and drove over a rocky stretch of ground. He stopped about a hundred yards from the highway. Vee felt the trailer jolt as he unhitched himself. She saw him through the window, and though he couldn't see her, he appeared to look directly at her as he told her he'd be right back. He disappeared through some bushes, and didn't come back for nearly five minutes. Vee waited until he was hitched up again and back on the road before speaking to him.

"Feel better?" she asked, a grin in her voice.

"For now," Mack replied.

"What's today?"

"November seventeenth."

Vee made a sound like a mock gasp. "Are you serious? As long as it took you to go back there, I thought a whole week had passed! Exactly how many gallons of coffee did you drink, anyway?"

Mack snorted. "Hey, cut me some slack, will ya? When you're as big as I am, you do everything on a grand scale! And I mean everything!"

Vee chuckled. "If you say so. So, where to now?"

There was a moment of static-riddled silence before Mack answered her. "Wherever the road leads us, I guess."

"You mean you don't even have a plan?"

"Sure I have a plan!" Mack said defensively. "I'm just gonna keep driving till I run out of gas!"

Vee snorted. "You call that a plan?"

"Not really. Do you?"

Vee couldn't help remembering their conversation the other day, and what she had told Mack: "_All I could think to do was keep on going till I ran out of gas and then start a new life wherever I ended up." _

She sighed. "It's as good a plan as any I've had."

The sound of eighteen wheels humming over asphalt was mesmerizing. Tired of worrying, tire of thinking, Vee let the droning noise lull her into a state of relaxation. She stared out the window at the rapidly moving, yet virtually unchanging, scenery. Endless desert punctuated by the occasional cactus or rock. Sky just as endless, just as empty. With another sigh Vee turned away from the window, unwilling to see anymore of the depressing landscape. Her eyes drifted and came to settle on the Lightning bobble-head toy that had fallen out of the trailer the night before. She smirked at it. Lightning grinned back and nodded vigorously like an over-eager yes man. Vee put a tire out to stop it's insane bouncing, then hit the intercom switch.

"Hey, Mack?"

"Yeah?"

"If I ever become a famous racecar, remind me never to let them make me into a bobble-head toy."

Mack laughed. "Ten-four!"

* * *

_Sorry for the long wait. I had a lot of trouble getting started on this chapter. Now that it's done, I pray the next chapter will go smoother. For those of you who like counting down, we are now ten chapters away from the end of this fic. That number is subject to change, of course, though it should be right on the mark since I've planned the rest of the story out better. I'm going to try REALLY hard to give you at least one chapter per week from now on. At that rate I hope to be able to wrap this fic up by the end of January. As soon as it is done I am going to get started on the sequel! WEEEEEEEEEE!!!_


	25. Meanwhile

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:  
MEANWHILE…

_That same morning, back in Radiator Springs…_

"What in Ford's name happened to my clinic?" Doc demanded as he looked around the room. Puddles of oil and transmission fluid congealed on the linoleum floor. Various tools and parts lay scattered about, many bent or broken. Papers lay soaking in the puddles and a monitor sat screen-side down, surrounded by glass. It was impossible to move an inch without driving over something.

Doc turned to Sheriff with a heated glare. "Who did this?"

"It was that Vroom woman," the squad car replied, looking equally enraged. "She thrashed the place last night."

Doc stared at him as though he'd just been struck. "What? Sheriff, are - are you sure it was her?"

"She was the only one in here at the time."

Doc frowned and looked down at the floor. "There must be another explanation," he murmured, though he sounded doubtful. He picked up a socket wrench from a nearby oil puddle and turned it over in his tire, then dropped it. It clattered loudly on the linoleum, shattering the silence. With a heavy sigh, he turned to look at Sheriff again, his expression unreadable. "Where is she now?" he asked quietly, his tone as empty as his eyes.

Sheriff opened his mouth to reply, then stopped. He looked ashamedly down his hood, scuffing a tire on the floor and clearing his throat. "Um, well, that's the thing, Doc," he murmured, not meeting the Hudson's eyes. "I put her in Impound last night and she sort of - well…"

"She done flew the coop!" Mater finished for him.

"And took my trailer with her!" Lightning added indignantly.

Doc stared at Lightning in surprise. "Your trailer?"

"Yes, my trailer! It's gone!"

Sheriff sighed and shook his hood. "I think you'd better come see this, Doc," he said, turning toward the street.

A minute later, the four vehicles stood in front of the impound lot. Doc stared at the broken fence, then turned to Sheriff with a smirk. "You're not going to tell me she did this too, are you?" he said skeptically.

"Of course not!" Sheriff retorted. "It was that damn big rig!"

Doc's eyes widened in shock. "Mack? You're pulling my tire!"

"No I'm not, Doc! Look, it had to be him! He's the only one strong enough to knock the fence down and hijack the trailer!"

Doc stared at Sheriff for a long moment, then his gaze drifted off down the road as though expecting to see Mack and the trailer driving away at that moment.

"Ah jist cain't believe Mack'd do a thing like that," Mater remarked. "Ah always thought he were a good guy. And Miss Vee seemed like a really sweet gal." He turned to Lightning with a quizzical look. "Now why d'ya suppose he took yer trailer?"

Lightning shrugged. "I don't know… but I don't believe Mack would have done it without a good reason!" he said suddenly, looking not at Mater but at Doc. "Mack IS a good guy, Doc. Even if he did steal my trailer…"

Mater looked around worriedly. "Daggum, what're we gonna do?"

Doc nodded agreement. "I'm sure you're right, Hotrod," he murmured, then turned to the tow truck. "Well, first off, I need to know everything that happened yesterday before we make any rash decisions."

Mater frowned down at his air filter. "Ever'thing? Well uh, le's see… oh yeah! Yesterday mornin' Ah waked up, bright 'n' early like usual. Weren't easy gettin' goin' at first, due to mah hook gettin' hung up under mah back bumper again. How that keeps happenin' Ah reckon Ah'll never know. Anywho, Ah got up, all creaky like, an' stretched real long like a limo-zeen, then uhhh… then the first thing what Ah did was go out back tuh drain mah -"

"Ahem!" Doc interrupted. "Yes, thank you, Mater, but how about skipping ahead to when my clinic got thrashed? Can you tell me what happened then?"

"Uhhhh…"

"I can!" Sheriff spoke up. Doc gave him a doubtful look. "Miss Vroom let herself in yesterday afternoon on the pretense of tidying up. She left the doors wide open, so I reckoned I didn't need to waste my time watching her. I left to make my rounds, and some time later I heard someone screaming, so I went to investigate. When I got back to the clinic the doors were closed, and Miss Vroom was all alone inside, and everything was just the way it is now. A mess."

Doc frowned. "Wait, you heard someone screaming?"

"That's what I said."

"Who was it?"

Sheriff shrugged. "Hell if I know. I just know what I heard, and I heard a woman screaming."

Doc raised a brow. "A woman? And it wasn't Sally or Flo or the twins?"

"Nope, they was all workin' at the diner," Mater replied.

"And Sally was with me," added Lightning.

"Now I coulda swore it were Miss Vee doin' all the yellin,'" Mater continued. "But if she were inside the clinic then Ah guess -"

"That's where the screams were coming from!" Lightning insisted. "I heard it myself! She was screaming for help!"

Doc stared at him in surprise, then turned a questioning look on Sheriff. "She was screaming for help, and you didn't find that at all suspicious?"

Sheriff looked down at his hood and shuffled his tires. "Well, I - I didn't really think about it much at the time…"

"Well, did she give you an explanation? Or were you too busy arresting her to listen to what she may have had to say?"

Sheriff scowled. "I resent that, Doc! What kind of vehicle do you take me for, anyway?"

"Well, ya wasn't all that kindly tuh Miss Vee," Mater remarked. "Specially not when ya was arrestin' 'er, so Ah guess that'd make ya uh - what was it ya called 'im, Lightnin'? Oh yeah! A Dodge-rammin' jerkmobile! That's it!" Sheriff glared at Lightning, who in turn glared at Mater. "Whut? That's whatcha done said, wudn't it?"

"All right, we're getting off track here," Doc said. "Now, let's get one thing straight: all three of you heard her screaming for help, correct?" Mater, Lightning and Sheriff each nodded in agreement. "And when you got to the clinic she was all alone?"

"And the place was in shambles," Sheriff confirmed. He sighed and shook his hood. "Honestly Doc, I never would have believed she'd up and do a thing like that."

Doc frowned. "You wouldn't? Huh, that's funny, because I thought you were the one who told me not to trust her in the first place. Wasn't that you? Or is there another disgruntled old squad car around here I'm confusing you with?" Lightning snickered and Sheriff blushed. When he didn't argue, Doc continued. "Now, is there anything else I should know? Did Miss Vroom say _anything_ about what really happened?"

There was a long pause during which Mater appeared to be thinking especially hard. "There were somethin' 'bout a guy name o' Joy, if'n Ah'm rememberin' rightly."

Doc looked at him curiously. "Joy?"

Mater nodded. "Yeah, tha's right. Guy name Joy. She said he's the one what trashed yer clinic."

Lightning smirked. "I think you mean Joey. And now that you mention it, the name does sound familiar…"

"Are ya sayin' ya know a guy named Joy?"

Lightning ignored him and turned to Doc. "I remember now - she said something about her boss coming to get her. To - to kill her."

"Her boss?" Doc frowned. "I thought his name was Slade."

"That's what she said, all right," Mater agreed. "Her boss 'n' Joey an' another guy named Crony."

"No no no," Lightning shook his hood. "It was her boss and his crony NAMED Joey! That's probably what she meant!"

Sheriff snorted and turned away, mumbling something about empty-hooded lemons. Doc glared at him.

"Now wait just a darn second, Sheriff! I need to hear your side of the story as well!"

Sheriff stopped and grudgingly turned around to face the Hornet with an annoyed look.

"Are Lightning and Mater telling me the truth? Did Miss Vroom herself testify that someone was out to get her?"

Sheriff sneered. "What're you asking me for? I thought Wingus and Dingus here just told you that."

"Because you were there too, and I want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!" Doc was practically yelling by the time he'd finished his sentence.

Sheriff stared at him in surprise before answering. "Well, yes she did, but -"

"But nothing, Sheriff. I want to know everything she said last night. Innocent lives may very well depend on what you tell me."

Sheriff said nothing for a long time. He stared down his hood, silent save for a heavy sigh. When he spoke again his voice was quiet, distant. "Yes. She said that two men were out to kill her… that one of them was named Joey and that he was the one who trashed the clinic. And that's exactly what she said."

Doc studied Sheriff's face, searching his downcast eyes for sincerity. He cleared his throat. "It sounds to me," he said slowly, "like Miss Vroom was telling the truth. It also sounds like Mack sprang her out of Impound and took your trailer," he nodded to Lightning, "in order to protect her."

A heavy silence followed the Hornet's words, during which Mater and Lightning exchanged worried looks.

"What're we gonna do?" Mater asked Doc. Before he could answer, Lightning spoke up.

"I say we go after them!" Sheriff snorted and turned away. Doc frowned at him, but said nothing. Lightning frowned at him too before continuing. "Mack's one of my closest friends. He always went out of his way for me, even though it was his job and sometimes I pushed him a little too hard…" he trailed off, staring guiltily down his hood. After a moment he looked up again and fixed Doc with a pleading gaze.

"He was there for me when no one else was. Now he's in trouble and I want to help him. I may not know Vee as well as he does, but any friend of Mack's is a friend of mine!"

"Tha's right!" Mater agreed. "An' any friend o' Mack's is a friend o' Lightnin's is a friend o' mine!"

Doc smiled. "Then it's settled. We're going to find Mack and Miss Vroom."

Sheriff snorted. "Count me out."

Everyone turned to look at him in surprise. "What have you got against Vee, Sheriff?" Lightning demanded. "I mean, if you're still ticked off about her speeding -"

"It's not just that," Sheriff grumbled. "It's her disrespectful, snot-nosed, stuck-up attitude that I don't like."

Lightning opened his mouth to reply, but could think of nothing to say. There was a moment of awkward silence punctuated by the shuffling of the racecar's tires.

"Sounds an awful lot like someone else I know," Doc said, his bumper curving into a smile. "A conceited young hotrod who sped through town one night and tore up the road… I believe you remember him, Sheriff?"

The squad car did not reply. He scowled back at Doc in his mirror. The Hornet smiled back. Lightning blushed and Mater looked puzzled.

"He was quick to get on everyone's nerves," Doc went on. "Especially mine. It took a long time, and a lot of asphalt, but somehow he managed to pave over the damage he caused and start again with a clean slate. Now I wonder how we ever got along without him." He gave Lightning a fond smile.

Sheriff still said nothing, nor did he turn around. Doc rolled toward him. "I'm not asking you to come with us. I'm not asking for your help. I'm only asking that you give her another chance. Like you did with Lightning."

This time Sheriff responded. With a heavy sigh, he turned around slowly to face the other three. His expression was unreadable. "All right," he said quietly. "I will." Doc's smile returned tenfold.

"We'd better get going!" Lightning said suddenly. "Mack and Vee are probably hundreds of miles away by now!"

"Do we have any idea where they might be going?" asked Doc.

"Um, no."

"Do we know which road they're on?"

"No."

"Do we even know which direction they went?"

Lightning didn't answer this time. His guilty blush said it all. Doc sighed and shook his hood.

"Well that don't mean nothin'!" Mater exclaimed, looking serious. "Ah say we jist git out there and start lookin,' 'cuz we shore as heck ain't gonna find 'em standin' 'round here jabberin' 'bout which a way they done coulda gone."

Doc smiled warmly at him and chuckled. "You're actually making a lot of sense right now, Mater. You know that?" Mater grinned proudly. Doc turned to the other two and nodded. "Well, you heard the truck. Let's hit the road!"

* * *

_Don't forget to check out the chapter illustrations at DeviantArt (link is in my profile). Browse my gallery for a wide variety of Cars art, including plenty of random Mack & Vee pics. While you're there, please take a moment to answer the quiz posted in my journal. _


	26. Truck Stop

_Special thanks to Grips, who helped write this chapter several months ago via an RPG (she played Mack and I played Vee). I "borrowed" a few of her lines directly instead of rewriting them. Hope ya don't mind, Grips. I owe ya._

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:  
TRUCK STOP

"Breaker breaker, this is Gas Can. Got a leaky reefer here and I need the twenty on the nearest waterhole. Over." Mack paused, waiting for a reply.

"Roger Gas Can, this here's Rubber Duck. You've got a squat comin' 'bout thirty miles up. Over."

"Ten-eighteen? Over."

"Yeah, keep your eyes peeled at yardstick eighty-nine and smile for the camera. It's a raging slab and smoky's thick out here. Over."

"Ten-four, over."

Inside the trailer, Vee was listening to the conversation in amused silence. "Okaayyyy," she spoke up at last. "That was all Greek to me. Can't you truckers just speak English once in a while?"

Mack chuckled. "What fun would that be?"

"Did you even understand a word he said, or were you just being polite?"

"I understood him perfectly! CB talk is as natural as regular talk for us big rigs. While you're learning 'mama' and 'dada,' we're learning 'ten-ten' and 'breaker breaker.'"

Vee laughed. "Well, I did understand a few words. 'Smoky' means cop, right?"

"Yep."

"And isn't a reefer a refrigerated trailer?"

"Yeah."

"That's all I got, then. And I don't think I even wanna know what a raging slab is!"

This time Mack laughed. "It's just a straight stretch of road ideal for picking up speed on."

Vee laughed too. "Riiight."

"Honest! That's all it is!" Mack insisted with a chuckle. "Basically he was just letting me know there's a lot of cops with radars up ahead past milepost eighty-nine. And the next truck stop's right up the road. We should be there in about, say, twenty minutes."

"Great," Vee replied, then fell silent. It was some time later before she spoke again. "Why'd you tell that guy you had a leaky reefer? Why didn't you just say you were low on gas?"

"Eh, I dunno. We just like messing with each other sometimes. If I'd told 'im I was running low, there's a good chance he would've lied and said there was nothing out here. Some truckers get a kick out of watching others get stranded."

Vee snorted. "Some sense of humor you guys've got."

"Oh, we're not all that bad. Even if a trucker does get stranded, other big rigs are usually pretty quick to help out. We like to mess with each other's heads, but we always look out for each other. Most of us do, anyway."

"Well, that's good." Vee heard Mack mumbling and strained to hear him. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh nothing," he murmured, though he sounded somewhat troubled. "I was just saying that fuel's not the only thing I'm low on right now. I don't have a whole lot of cash on me, either."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Shame we had to split town so soon. Today's payday. Talk about irony!"

Vee forced a chuckle, though she found their situation to be anything but amusing. She thought for a minute, then cleared her throat. "Well," she said quietly, then paused, hesitant to continue. "I know one way to make a fast buck."

"Really?" Mack sounded hopeful. Vee didn't answer him. There was a long silence, ended by a gasp. "No. No way! Absolutely not!" Mack said firmly. "I forbid you to even consider it!"

"It's really not a big deal," Vee murmured, though she didn't sound nearly as convincing as she'd meant to.

"Forget it."

"But Mack, we need money. You said it yourself! Wh - what are we going to do, then?"

There was a another long silence speckled with static as Mack considered their options. "I don't know, but we'll get by," was all he said.

Vee wasn't at all satisfied with that answer. "How, then? How can we keep going without fuel?" she demanded. "Unless you're planning on stealing somewhere along the line, I don't see how we're going to get by unless one of us tries to earn some money. And no offense, Mack, but I don't think you're going to find a whole lot of vehicles out there who will pay you to do anything other than haul a load for them."

"None taken," Mack replied. "But theft is out of the question. And so is selling yourself. Now I don't want to hear another word about it. In fact, I don't want you to even THINK about doing that sort of thing ever again! You got that?" He winced at the sharpness of his tone and quickly regretted speaking to his friend that way. "I'm sorry, Vee," he said softly. "I just - I just can't stand the thought of you putting yourself out like that. Letting men take advantage of you. It's wrong. You deserve better than that."

Vee listened intently to Mack's words. For a while she just stood there, frozen, not knowing what to say in return. A few times she opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out except for an occasional sigh. Her eyes drifted away from the intercom and out the tinted window. The sun was gone now and the darkening sky was clear and blue. A full moon was just beginning to peak out over the ridge of the distant mountain range.

"Truck stop's just up ahead," Mack informed Vee a few minutes later. "I can see it now." He started to slow as he switched lanes and drove down the off ramp. Neither one of them spoke while he pulled into the dusty, crowded lot and backed the trailer into a far corner between two other trailers. Mack unhitched himself and stretched, his frame groaning and creaking. He heard the thud of the trailer door hitting the ground and drove around back.

A cloud of dust went up when the ramp descended. Some of it drifted into the trailer, causing Vee to sneeze. She waited for it to settle, then rolled cautiously down the ramp, eyes wide as she looked around curiously. She had never been to a truck stop before, though she recalled Darla from the escort agency mentioning how disorderly they tended to be.

Mack greeted her with a smile and moved aside to let two big rigs by. One of them glanced at Vee. She did not fail to notice the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, nor glint in his eye. She pulled up beside Mack and the two of them drove silently toward the fueling station on the other side of the lot. They were flanked by rows of unmanned trailers, their haulers most likely enjoying some free time up at the station. The few trucks that they passed on this side of the lot appeared to be asleep.

The faint sounds of talking and laughter drifted to Vee on the evening breeze as they neared their destination. They reached the end of the row and turned right. A mob of semis stood around shouting and laughing boisterously. Some were refueling at a row of gas pumps. Many were drinking beer. Vee shrank away nervously as they approached the crowd. Mack looked down at her and touched her tire reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he told her. "We'll just fill up and go straight back to the trailer, okay? Just stay close and I'll make sure no one bothers you."

Despite his calming tone, he couldn't help but glance around a little nervously himself. As at home as he usually felt at a truck stop, it hadn't occurred to him that perhaps this wasn't the best place to bring his friend. It wasn't that a car like Vee would not be welcome, far from it, but it was a rarity to see a female vehicle at a truck stop that wasn't a big rig. In fact, the only non-semi women that dared to enter a truck stop most of the time were prostitutes looking to turn a few tricks.

Mack's hood burned at the thought as he remembered Vee's earlier suggestion of earning them some money. He looked around frantically, half hoping to see a lot lizard or two to distract the men's attention. A car as lovely as Vee would not go unnoticed here, he knew. As they drove through the crowd, he moved closer to her, letting everyone know by his proximity to her that she was with him and not to be bothered.

Just as he predicted, several trucks turned to ogle her as they passed. Some started murmuring and nudging each other. One whistled and another catcalled. There were even a few Hey baby's.

"Don't make eye-contact," Mack whispered. Vee nodded. She stared straight ahead, doing her best to ignore the large trucks and the unsettling feeling of all those eyes on her. It wasn't until someone honked at her from behind that she showed any kind of reaction to them. She half turned to look back. Three semis were laughing hysterically and two more honked at her when she turned away again.

"It's your sticker," Mack murmured with a blush. Vee blushed too when she realized what he was talking about. _Ford Almighty, what am I doing here? _she demanded of herself as they reached the station. Mack sped up and pulled up to a pump just as another truck was leaving it. Vee pulled up close beside him, keeping out of view of most of the other semis.

"Let's make this quick," she told Mack, who nodded in agreement. She filled up quickly, eager to get back to the trailer where it was safe. She looked up at Mack, who was still hooked up to the pump. "How much longer are you going to take?" she asked, unable to keep the nervous edge out of her voice.

"A while, at least," he answered, giving her an apologetic look. "I've got two tanks, and each one is twice as big as yours, so it's gonna take awhile."

Vee sighed impatiently and scowled down at her hood. After a few minutes a large shadow fell over her and she looked up to see a dusty black semi pulling up beside her. He stared down at her, hardly taking his eyes away even as he hooked himself up to the gas pump. Against her better judgment, she made eye-contact with him. He returned her gaze with dark, heavy-lidded eyes that seemed to drink her in with a thirst far greater than his tank had for fuel. Vee tore her eyes away and edged closer to Mack until their front hubcaps were touching. All she wanted was to get out of that spot as soon as possible.

"Well hey there, darlin'," the black truck purred. "What's a perdy lil thing like you doin' in a place like this?"

Vee rolled her eyes. _Oh, brother._ She did not look at him or acknowledge his words in any way. Instead, she pressed even closer to Mack, who glared at the other truck.

"She's with me," he answered, in a tone that said quite clearly that Vee was off-limits. He said nothing more, but mouthed a silent prayer for his tanks to fill up quickly. A minute later there was a loud ding from the pump. Finally! Mack pulled away, ushering Vee along ahead of him with a tire. "Quickly," he murmured, nudging her in the direction of the trailer.

Vee didn't need telling twice. With a nod she drove quickly back through the crowd, Mack at her side. Two trucks started brawling and they had to swerve to avoid them. Swears and howls of laughter erupted at the spectacle. Even during the scuffle Vee's presence did not escape the men. Several of them were now leering at her instead of the wrestlers.

Vee was so absorbed in watching the fight in her mirror that she was taken by surprise when two semis, one green and one a dirty white, pulled in front of her and Mack, blocking their path. The way they smiled at her sent shudders through her chassis.

"Ahem! Mind moving aside, please?" Mack said impatiently. The green truck smirked at him and chuckled.

"Why, you in a hurry?" he asked smugly.

"Yes, I am, as a matter of fact," Mack replied. "I'm on a very tight schedule. Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Whatcha pullin'?" asked the other truck.

Mack stared at him a moment before answering. "Ten-thirty-four."

"Huh?"

"That means I can't tell you."

"Ah know what it means!"

"He's full of it!" the green truck declared. "The only thing he's haulin's this gal right here!" He pointed a tire at Vee, who recoiled slightly. "Saw her come out of his trailer. Say pal, you got any more where she came from?"

Mack sneered at him. "Sorry, but this is the only one and she's spoken for. Now if you would kindly move aside, we'll just be on our way."

The two trucks exchanged glances. "Whatever you say, pal," said the green truck as he backed away, watching Mack and Vee drive by with a smirk.

When they reached the trailer, Vee wasted no time sealing herself up inside it. Mack wasted no time, either. He was hitched up before the trailer door had closed behind her. He pulled out quickly, maneuvering around a pair of trailers that stood nearby. On the other side of them he found himself face to face with a gang of big rigs. Along with the two that had confronted him a moment ago, there was the black truck from the station and a fourth truck who was the same shade of red he was.

Mack backed away, startled. "Uh, excuse me," he mumbled, trying to sound indifferent to their sudden appearance. He gave his engine a slight rev and moved forward a little, indicating that he wished to get through. None of the trucks moved so much as an inch.

"What's the rush, pal?" asked the green truck, who seemed to be the leader of the group. "Why dontcha stick around awhile? Just kick back, relax, and let that little lady of yours out for some fresh air." He rolled forward, closing the gap between Mack and himself and grinning deviously. "You don't wanna keep a pretty thing like that locked away now, do ya?"

Mack tensed, forcing himself to remain still and not back away. He knew that to show any sign of fear would only make the situation worse. He said nothing, letting his loathsome glare at the green truck speak for him.

"Now why dontcha let 'er back out and we'll have us some fun tonight. Don't worry, we'll take real good care of 'er, right fellas?" A rumbling chorus of chuckles answered the green truck, and his smile grew more confident as he awaited Mack's reply.

For a moment, Mack was at a loss. His engine raced as he realized that both he and Vee were trapped. He opened his mouth to reply, but at first only stammered. He might have given up then and there if it was only his own safety on the line, but there was no way he was going to let anyone lay a tire on Vee. He puffed himself up, rising on his axles, and huffed an angry breath through his grille.

"I found her first, you lowlife," he growled. "And I'll be leaving with her, too. What, are you all so pathetic that you can't even get your own lot lizards? You have to stoop to begging more attractive trucks for theirs?" He snorted. "Fat chance! Now _move it_!"

The green truck blinked at Mack in surprise and backed away. "All right, buddy. No need to get all huffy about it. I'll move…" and he pulled aside to let Mack pass. The other three trucks, not nearly as brave as their leader, backed away and gave him a wide berth. The green truck waited until Mack and the trailer both had passed him before springing into action.

He lunged at the back door of the trailer, ramming it with his nose. Another hit and it started to open. Vee jumped at the loud banging. She gasped when the door fell open and the green truck peered in at her.

"Heya, baby!" he purred.

"MACK!" she shrieked, backing away from the door as far as she could.

Mack froze, engine racing. In seconds he unhitched the trailer and zoomed around to the back of it, charging straight at the green truck. Before he realized what he was doing, he had rammed into him as hard as he could, jarring both the truck and the trailer. Vee yelped at the sudden jolt and moved to the entrance to see what was happening. Mack backed up, seeing stars, his entire front end stinging horribly as tears formed in his eyes. The green truck had a large dent in his side and was now staring dumbstruck at his assailant.

Mack blinked back his tears and glared daggers at the truck. For a moment he looked too terrified to move. Then, suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Vee peeking out of the trailer. This seemed to embolden him. He rose up on his axles, returning Mack's glare. With a shout, he plowed forward. Mack met him halfway, throwing him sideways and right into his three cronies. The green truck spun around. Mack braced himself for another attack, but it didn't come. His adversary merely gaped at him. His dark eyes flitted to Vee, but a deep growl from Mack made him look away again.

"Fine!" he huffed, frowning at Mack. "Keep the bitch."

Mack lunged at him and shoved him hard against a nearby trailer. He growled, baring his teeth and raising a tire as though he was going to strike him with it. Vee watched in horror from the trailer door.

"Mack!" she shouted, and Mack lowered his tire. He continued to glare at the green truck for a long moment, letting his threat sink in. Then slowly he backed away.

He closed the trailer door, hitting it a few times to make sure it was sound, then hitched himself up. Then, without a word, Mack drove forward, the four trucks giving him a wide berth as he passed. A minute later he was back on the highway, grille filling with the sweet scent of autumn. Mack breathed it in deep with a contented sigh. He had never been more glad to be back on the road.

* * *

_BTW tomorrow's my birthday! YAY! I would like an Oreo ice cream cake, a pony, a new car, and lots and lots of reviews for my birthday! XD_


	27. More Than the Moon

_Okay folks, this is it! Today's the big day! The chapter you've all been waiting for is finally here! I tried REALLY hard to finish it in time to post on my birthday (December 14th) but I missed it by an hour. (sobs) Oh well. Close enough._

_On the upside, I am now 27! WOOHOOOO! 27 years and 27 chapters! How sweet is that? Man, I just couldn't wait to get this chapter up. It's my birthday gift to me. XD Thanks again to Grips for assisting me with this chapter way back when. And now, without further ado, I give you…_

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:  
MORE THAN THE MOON

The truck stop was far behind them now. An unpleasant memory that time and space continued to push away. Despite the warnings he'd received over his CB, Mack drove at a breakneck speed until the truck stop had completely vanished from sight in his mirrors. The silence between himself and Vee seemed to stretch on like the road before them. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he felt he owed her now. It took several minutes for him to gather his thoughts enough to attempt to speak.

"Uh, Vee..." he began quietly. "What I said about you back there... you know I didn't mean..." he trailed off, feeling his hood heat despite the chilly wind that gusted in his face. Inside the trailer, Vee listened intently, waiting for him to continue. Mack cleared his throat, a little too loudly, and tried again. "It's just that - I dunno - I had to say something, and, well…"

"It's all right, Mack," she replied.

"No, it isn't," Mack argued. "I should have known better than to bring you to a place like that. Most truckers see a pretty car at a truck stop and they just assume that - well, you know."

"Hey, no biggie. It's nothing I'm not used to."

Mack's tanks churned at the implication of her words. "You shouldn't -" he began, but had no idea how to finish his sentence.

"Don't worry, Mack," Vee assured him. "It's behind us now. Just keep going and never look back, okay?"

"Yeah, but -"

"No buts. What's done is done. And if you don't forget about it right now then I'm gonna break both your mirrors off so you can't look back anymore. Got it?"

Despite his worries, Mack couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, all right. Forgetting!"

The next few minutes were spent in silence as Mack scanned the dark horizon for a suitable campsite. Flat, empty desert rolled by on both sides without so much as a sagebrush for camouflage. Traffic was thin, with only an occasional set of head or taillights appearing on the narrow two-lane road. Mack flicked his high beams on. The full moon was low in the sky, though it still helped to illuminate the dark landscape.

Inside the trailer, Vee quickly grew bored with the silence. She turned her radio on and scanned it for a static-free station until one song in particular came in loud and clear:

_Well if you ever plan to motor west  
Jack take my way, it's the highway, that's the best  
Get your kicks on Route 66…_

"Ooh, turn it up!" said Mack. Vee complied.

_Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.  
More than two thousand miles all the way  
Get your kicks on Route 66…_

"All right! Perfect song, huh?"

"I'll say! Just do me a favor and try not to sing along with it, okay?" Vee teased.

Mack laughed out loud. "I'll try not to, but I ain't making any promises!" The upbeat classic song quickly made them forget about their troubles.

_Well it goes through Saint Louis  
__Joplin, Missouri  
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty  
You'll see Amarillo  
__Gallup, New Mexico  
Flagstaff, Arizona  
__Don't forget Winona  
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino_  
_Won't you get hip to this kindly tip  
And take that California trip  
Get your kicks on Route 66…_

"Who's singing this?" Vee asked Mack during the break of the song.

"Uh, Chuck Berry, I think," Mack replied. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's him."

_It goes through Saint Louis  
__Joplin, Missouri  
__Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty  
You'll see Amarillo  
__Gallup, New Mexico  
Flagstaff, Arizona  
__Don't forget Winona  
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino  
__Won't you get hip to this kindly tip  
Take that California trip  
Get your kicks on Route 66  
__Get your kicks on Route 66  
__And I'll meet you on Route 62..._

As the song came to an end, Vee turned the volume down and gazed out the window at the rising moon. "I wonder why he added that part," she mused.

"What part?" Mack asked her.

"That last line. The one about Route 62. Didn't you hear it?"

"I heard 'get your kicks on Route 66'. Repeatedly."

"No no no, not that. If you were listening, he added 'I'll meet you on Route 62.' Right there at the end."

Mack thought about it for a moment. "Oh yeah! Yeah, I heard it. That is kinda weird, huh?"

"Mm-hm. Why do you suppose he added that?"

"I dunno. Maybe he had a hot date waiting there for him."

Vee chuckled. "She must really be something if he traveled two thousand miles just to go out with her."

"Either that or he's very, very desperate."

"He must be a trucker, then!" Vee teased and Mack laughed.

"I wouldn't doubt it!" he replied. "A guy gets pretty lonely on the road."

"Oh? Even you, Mister Mack Daddy?"

Mack was grateful that she couldn't see him blushing. "Well, of course! I'm made of metal, not stone."

"Well, what about all the truck stops you've been to? From what I've heard, those places are usually crawling with lot lizards. I assume they manage to keep you company at a fair price."

Mack blushed even redder. It took several seconds for him to answer without stammering. "Actually… no. I've, um, I've never actually been with a lot lizard."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I was just never comfortable with the idea of hiring a total stranger to - well, you know…" Mack blushed so hotly now that he felt as though he were going to overheat.

Vee was surprised by his answer. Though she hadn't given it much thought before, she'd just presumed that Mack had patronized a hooker or two during his travels. Even though she'd always thought of him as a gentleman, she certainly wouldn't have blamed him for wanting to ease his loneliness on the road now and then. Heck, she would have gone the same route herself if by doing so she could ease her own loneliness. Countless trysts with shady clients had only served to intensify the forlorn feelings she kept hidden from everyone, including her best friend.

Out of the blue a grove of trees appeared in the distance. _Perfect! _Mack thought with a smile and accelerated. Minutes later he pulled off the road and drove gingerly over uneven dirt toward the grove, the foliage growing thicker and taller the further he went. The weathered path was narrow and weed-ridden. It looked as though no vehicle larger than a van had ever driven through there. Not to be discouraged, Mack pressed on, tearing his way through shrubs and felling saplings as he followed the narrow path deeper into the grove.

Leaves and branches scraped against his sides as the vegetation became even denser. He was starting to worry that there would be no end to this jungle when all of a sudden he found himself in a large clearing. He stopped and looked around. Trees, bushes and undergrowth surrounded the clearing, which was peppered with sparse dry grass, rocks, and here and there a crushed beer can. Near the center were several more rocks forming a circle around what was obviously a campfire pit. Something very black, shapeless and completely unrecognizable lay in the middle, surrounded by ashes. An old tire lay against one of the rocks. Weeds poked their way out of the ashes in the pit. From the look of things, it had been a long time since anyone had camped here.

Mack drove across the clearing and backed the trailer under some trees. With a sigh of relief, he unhitched himself. Hearing the ramp descend, he drove around to the back of the trailer. From there he noticed the entrance to the clearing. Through it he could just make out tiny red and white lights crawling back and forth on the distant highway. Vee drove down the ramp and looked around. Mack said nothing as he waited for her approval.

"Well," she said as she turned to face him. "I've been in back alleys in L.A. that were better than that truck stop, but this…" she looked around again, "this is perfect." Mack smiled widely. Vee turned away and drove slowly around the clearing, inspecting their campsite. After a minute she stopped in front of Mack again and gazed up at the sky. "And to think we would never have been able to see all those stars back there."

Mack looked up too. The night sky was brilliant with moon and stars combined, making the world around them glow with a silvery blue light. Vee dropped her gaze to Mack's grille and gasped. Gleaming in the moonlight, the formerly flawless chrome now had a large, dark dent in it.

"Oh Mack, you're hurt!" she exclaimed, moving closer to examine him.

Mack looked cross-eyed down his hood. "I am?"

"Yes, you are!" Vee lifted a tire to the dent and touched it. "Right here. Doesn't that hurt?"

"Nn-OUCH!" he yelped, backing away. "Yeah, it does kinda, now that you mention it." He gave her a slight smirk and she chuckled.

"Sorry."

"Eh, it's okay. Nothing a little time won't be able to heal. And if that doesn't do it, I'm sure Doc will be able to…" he trailed off, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt. After the appalling state in which they had left Radiator Springs, Mack doubted that neither he nor Vee would be welcome back there anytime soon.

At the mentioning of Doc, Vee automatically began to think the same thing. "Like you said, I'm sure it'll be fine," she said quickly, wishing to change the subject. She looked him over again. "I'm really sorry about what happened back there. Are you sure you're all right?"

Mack shook his hood. "Forget about it. I was the one who got us into that mess, not you. I don't know what gave me the bright idea of bringing a lovely woman into a truck stop full of perverts who don't know the meaning of the word 'no.' And I'm fine. Really. I'm just grateful that you made it out okay, and that you're not furious with me like you should be."

"Now why would I be furious about something like that?" Vee asked. "We all make mistakes, Mack." Her lips curved in an impish smile. "The only thing I'm upset about is this 'lovely woman' you mentioned. Now who is she and why was I not informed about her?"

Mack blushed and rolled back slightly, staring down at Vee in surprise. "Er, that's not - I mean - what I meant was - um…" he stammered. "It's not that I don't think you're pretty or anything, because I do! I mean, I DO think you're pretty. Very pretty! I -I just didn't mean for it to sound so… so…" he trailed off, his hood burning hotter than ever as he backed away even more.

Vee laughed. "Mack, do me a favor and shut up before you embarrass us both."

Mack managed a small laugh in return and nodded. "Will do!"

Vee drove over to the campfire pit and poked at the shapeless black mass in the middle of the ashes. "Looks like someone tried to burn their tires," she murmured, noticing the other tire lying next to the pit. "Hmm. Think we should get a fire going? It's a bit nippy out."

Mack pulled up beside her and looked down at the charred remains of the old tire. "I suppose we could do that, only…"

"Only what?"

"Only I'm not sure how we're going to accomplish it without any matches."

"Oh."

Mack looked guiltily down at her. "You know, you could just spend the night in the trailer," he said. "I'm sure it'd be a lot warmer in there."

Vee glanced up at him. "But what about you?" she asked worriedly. "Won't you be cold?"

"Who, me?" Mack forced a chuckle for her sake. "Nah. I'm used to much worse. Haven't slept indoors since I moved out of my parents' house back in '94."

Vee didn't look very convinced. "If you're sleeping outside, then so am I," she said firmly.

"You don't have to do that," Mack argued.

"I know, but I want to anyway. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you!" she teased, giving him a playful shove, then gazed up at the sky. "Besides, it's a nice night for stargazing."

Mack looked up too. "Yeah. It'd be even nicer if that dang moon wasn't in the way," he murmured, squinting at it as though it were the sun.

"I like the moon," Vee said. "Sure, it dulls the stars, but I think it's way prettier than all of them put together."

"Yeah. Me too."

Vee chuckled. "Do you have to agree with everything I say?"

"Uhhh, yeah, as a matter of fact." Mack chuckled too. "And not just 'cuz you'll beat me up if I don't agree! I just happen to think you're right about the moon." He looked up at it again and smiled. "You ought to see it over on the east coast. Rising up over the ocean on a crystal clear night…" he sighed. "I don't think there's a sight on earth more inspiring than that."

"I can only imagine," Vee murmured. She continued to gaze up at the sky. "I've been working in the city for so long, I just completely forgot what life was like _away_ from the fast lane. Everyone always in a hurry to get nowhere, always stressed out over something stupid." She sighed heavily and dropped her eyes to her hood. "I just can't believe how easy it is to forget what's really important in life: good health, family… friends."

She looked up at Mack with a fond smile. "You have no idea how much your friendship means to me, Mack. No one's ever stood by me like you have." She rolled closer and touched one of his massive tires with her own much smaller tire. "I can't even begin to thank you for all you've done, or to pay you back for all the trouble I've caused."

It took a huge amount of effort for Mack to stave off the blush that her words aroused. "Well, heh, what're friends for?" he mumbled, returning her smile.

Vee opened her mouth to give him a witty answer, but stopped herself. Teasing and joking had always been a sort of safeguard for her. Whatever anyone might say to her, be it an insult or a compliment, she was always ready with a stinging comeback. It was just her way of dealing with things. But why she had more difficulty reacting to kindness than cruelty was a mystery even to her.

Jerks like those back at the truck stop she could usually handle by herself. She was used to dealing with that sort. It was vehicles like Mack, kind and caring vehicles, that she had a harder time dealing with. For years Vee had refused to let anyone get close to her. Her former line of work had shown her enough about men to make her believe that any attempt at niceness was merely a means to get what they wanted out of her. And for the most part it was true.

But she had to wonder: what did Mack get out of all this? In the short time they'd been reunited, she had caused him nothing but trouble. Yet there he was, right beside her all the way. Could it really be that her mere friendship was all he wanted from her? Or was there… something more…. something they both yearned for, heart and soul, but feared they could never have? Vee dropped her gaze to her hood, unable to look Mack in the eyes any longer. There were just some things the darkness couldn't hide.

She closed her eyes and sighed. The silence was broken only by a small sobbing sound, and Vee was startled to realize that it had come from her. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd cried, but she wasn't about to start up again now. She blinked back the hot sting of a tear and gulped her sobs down, praying that Mack hadn't noticed. Unfortunately, he had.

The sound of her sobs caused his tanks to churn. He moved toward her and touched her tire gently. "Vee? Are you okay?"

Vee closed her eyes and shook her hood. She took a deep calming breath and opened them again. "Yeah. I'm fine," she said, though her tone was less than reassuring. "It's just - everything's just been so crazy these past few weeks, and I guess it finally caught up with me." She forced herself to meet his gaze. "To tell you the truth, Mack, I'm… well, I'm scared." It was one of the hardest things she had ever had to admit, even to herself. Veronica Vroom did not scare easily. And she certainly did not go around confessing said fears to just anyone, even if that person happened to be her closest friend.

She had always felt that fear was a sign of weakness, particularly in herself. She thought she could only trust herself with her fears, but somehow putting her trust in Mack felt enormously good. She felt safe with him, but that didn't stop her from still being afraid of whatever lay ahead. As long as she didn't have to go it alone, maybe things wouldn't be so bad.

In the silence following her confession, Vee was unaware that she had moved closer to Mack. Their tires were only an inch or two from touching. She had only to reach out just the tiniest bit to take comfort in his touch, but something held her back. Something always did.

Being close to anyone was too foreign a concept for her to welcome without hesitation, but when it came to Mack… it was as though something else entirely was responsible for the invisible barrier between them, and that barrier was so weak it would only take the smallest action to break it… if only she could steel herself to do so.

Out of all the things Vee could have said, her confession of fear was one of the last things Mack had expected. He smiled, however. Not because he was happy she was scared, but rather, happy that she could admit it. He rolled closer, breaking the barrier for her and letting his tire rest gently against hers. His movements, as always, were slow, careful, and gentle. He was painfully aware of how much bigger he was than her, and he would never forgive himself if he put so much as a dent or a scratch on her.

"It's okay, Vee," he whispered. "No matter what happens, I'm here for you, always. Remember that."

Mack's words of assurance did just that and more… they assured and encouraged and strengthened Vee. It wouldn't have been a surprise to hear him tease her about being scared. In fact, she'd been expecting it. Mack showed his own worries and concerns far more often than Vee ever dared to show hers.

Still, when she heard his pledge to stay by her side, she felt the tears threaten to escape her again. But this time, she managed to hold them back. Even though they would have been tears of relief and joy, she figured Mack didn't need to see another sappy emotional display from his normally hard-boiled friend. He had enough to deal with just hauling her around.

She looked up at him. His eyes were half-shadowed by the bill of his cap, but in them she could see clearly his concern for her. She smiled slightly, thinking about how nice that cap looked on him, despite the tacky Rusteze Bumper Ointment logo stamped across the front of it. He was rather cute sometimes, especially when he worried about something trivial. Which seemed to be nearly everything lately.

Vee sighed sadly. Poor Mack worked too hard for what little he seemed to get, and now that they were on the lam, he was practically killing himself just for her. Big rigs like him may have been built for hard labor, but that didn't make it right to run him ragged like this.

"Mack," she whispered. There was so much she wanted to say to him. A thousand hollow phrases came together in a deafening roar in her mind and drowned each other out until all that remained was the awkward silence of the night. She opened her mouth to speak, waiting for the right words to come. But instead of trying to form words, her lips soon found themselves drawn to his in a tender kiss.

Nothing, absolutely nothing could have prepared Mack for the sudden sensation of Vee's soft, warm lips pressed against his own. For a moment, he stared down at her in shock, then his eyes fell shut as he returned the kiss, engine purring. If there was a more perfect moment in time, it had yet to transpire. And if a kiss could last forever, it still wouldn't be enough for the two of them to communicate all that they felt for each other at that very moment.

When at last they broke apart, Mack was blushing redder than ever. But for once, he couldn't have cared less. He smiled down at Vee, his best friend and his soul mate. How she glowed in the moonlight… so breathtaking, so beautiful… it was almost too much for him to bear. She was everything to him, and more. She was his inspiration. Looking back now, neither Mack nor Vee had any idea how they could have come this far without each other. What they had in one another now was more than they could ever have hoped for: love. Pure and simple. They gazed into each other's eyes, each basking in a light that illumined more than all the stars in the sky… more than the sun… more than the moon.

* * *

_Wow. Just… wow. What can I say about this chapter? You have NO idea how happy I am now that I've finally written it! And I'm sure all of you are too. Now that you're done reading it, make sure to pop on over to DeviantArt and check out the illustration. It's my best yet, I think. _


	28. Whatever Follows

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:  
WHATEVER FOLLOWS

Mack stretched and yawned, blinking the sleep and early morning sunlight from his eyes. His front left tire brushed against something smooth. He glanced down, a slow smile growing on his face at the sight of Vee still fast asleep beside him. He let his tire linger against her side and basked in the warm feeling that came from having her so close to him.

In the rosy glow of dawn, her lavender paintjob looked neon pink, as though she were blushing. Mack could feel himself blush too as he reminisced the previous evening and all that had happened between them. He gazed down at Vee for what seemed like hours, unable to take his eyes off her. The sun was only slightly higher in the sky when she finally began to stir.

"Good morning," Mack said quietly. He chuckled as Vee yawned long and wide, outdoing his own yawn minutes before. She brushed against him as she stretched her axles out, and Mack felt a pleasant tingle where their sides met. "Morning," she murmured, blinking sleepily up at him and smiling. "How long have you been awake?"

"A few minutes, at least," he replied, returning her smile. "Sleep well?"

Vee nodded. "Mmm, very well," she purred, snuggling up to him. She yawned again and closed her eyes, thinking back on all that led up to last night and how very, very different the world looked now that she and Mack were together. It no longer mattered where they were nor the circumstances that placed them there. As long as she had Mack, she couldn't have cared less.

Mack smiled and snuggled closer to Vee, his own eyes falling shut and his engine purring softly. All he wanted just then was to stay there, by her side, in that peaceful little clearing, far from trouble. He knew, though, that his wish could not be granted and that they would have to move on. But as long as he had Vee, he was content. He couldn't have asked for anything more than having her right there beside him.

"Well, I guess we should get going," he said, very reluctantly, though he made no move to leave her side. "I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

"Yeah, me too." Vee stood up and stretched again, then started up the ramp to the trailer. Halfway up she stopped and turned to Mack, who was now standing next to the ramp waiting to close the door. She gave him a shy grin, then leaned over and kissed him. Mack blushed, but did not waste any time kissing her back. Their tongues danced together as the two lovers melted into each other. Mack lifted a tire to her cheek and caressed it tenderly. Vee pulled away slightly, breaking the kiss.

"You're getting dirt on my face!" she giggled. Mack promptly dropped his tire to the ground.

"Oh. Sorry," he mumbled, blushing. He noted a dark smudge just below her hood and across her right headlight. "Here, let me get that." He lifted the same tire he'd caressed her with a moment ago and used it to brush the dirt off. Vee chuckled and slapped it away.

"That kinda defeats the purpose, you know," she teased. Sure enough, her face was even dirtier than before.

"There's some tacky McQueen hankies in the trailer somewhere," Mack said. "I think they're in that first compartment there."

Vee found a handkerchief right away. Mack took it from her and gently wiped the dirt from her face, smiling fondly at her as he did so. "Hm, you're pretty dirty," he said. Another good swipe and the last of the dirt was gone. His smile grew. "And you're even prettier when you're clean!"

"Wish I could say the same about you!" Vee purred as she pressed a tire to his face. She traced his jaw line slowly, leaving behind a smear of dirt from between her own treads. "And now I can!"

Mack smirked at her. "Thanks a lot," he mumbled.

"No problem!" Vee chuckled and took the hankie back. She wiped the dirt off Mack's face and gave him a peck on the cheek. Mack blushed. He stood there for a moment, smiling shyly at his best friend/girlfriend. Vee's own smile turned into a smirk. "Um, don't you have some hauling to do?" she asked him.

Mack blushed even redder. "Oh! Right!" Vee chuckled as he fumbled with the ramp, sealing the trailer shut. A minute later he was hitched up and driving through the woods toward the highway.

* * *

"That's right. A light purple Chrysler Concorde." The green big rig took another deep swig of his beer and punctuated his sentence with a mighty belch. "Real sexy lil thing," he slurred. "I'm talkin' Brooke Windshields hot. F'only them lot lizards came like that." He eyed the black pickup in front of him suspiciously. "Why d'you ask?" 

"Because… she happens to be my wife," Slade replied with a smirk.

The green truck stared at him in surprise. "Ya don't say!"

Slade nodded and sipped his beer. He dropped his eyes to his hood and sighed heavily. "Poor gal's been heartbroken ever since her miscarriage last month. She wanted a baby so bad. We both did, really." Beside him, Joey snickered. Slade gave him a sharp nudge. "All those years trying to conceive… well, of course she blamed herself for it. I did what I could to comfort her, but she just up and left me. Heaven knows why, but I'm not gonna rest until I find my darling angel."

Joey choked on his beer in a fit of laughter. Slade growled at him, but the big rig didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I hate to hafta tell ya this, buddy, but yer wife done run off with a Mack truck last night."

Slade stared at him in feigned shock. "What?! Are you serious?" he demanded, making sure that his tone matched his expression. "Tell me, where did they go?"

The big rig wobbled a little as he turned and nodded in the direction of the interstate. "West," he burped.

* * *

Sheriff watched the two Highway Patrol cars drive away in a cloud of dust. "Dang rookies," he mumbled. "Fat load of help they were." 

"What did they say?" Doc asked him. He had just finished patching up the inner tube in Mater's right front tire and was now attempting to put the tire back on him. Mater trembled slightly as he held his axle out, keeping his eyes shut the whole time his tire was being repaired.

"They said they saw Mack go by here yesterday," Sheriff replied. "Right after I issued that APB on him, too. Said they stopped him and chatted with him for a minute, but let him go when he told them he had to hurry and get Lightning to his next race in Los Angeles."

Doc and Lightning both stared at him in surprise.

"Sometimes I don't know why I even bother," Sheriff groused, shaking his hood.

"Well, I'm sure they haven't gone too far since then," Doc assured him. He bolted the tire firmly in place and stowed his tools in Mater's bed.

Mater drove a quick donut around Doc to test his tire. "Much obliged, Doc," he said with a grin. "Ah runned over rusty nails in the junkyard that don't pack a wallop like that there pothole do." He pointed his newly fixed tire at a ragged tear in the road.

Doc smirked at him. "Next time I tell you not to pull over at a construction zone, what are you going to do?"

Mater stared at him. "Uhhh… NOT pull over?"

Doc nodded. "Exactly."

"But Ah had tuh go real bad! And them port-o-potties there was jist screaming tuh be used!"

"Well then you should have gone back at that truck stop!" Sheriff scolded him. "Didn't I tell everyone to go while they had the chance?"

Mater blushed and scuffed the ground with a tire. "Well yeah, but Ah didn't had tuh go back then."

"It was only five miles back!" Sheriff huffed.

Lightning chuckled. "Relax, Sheriff. Just because you're too uptight to pee outside doesn't mean the rest of us are."

The squad car fixed him with a heated glare, then snorted and drove away. "Hurry up!" he barked at the others. "Mack and Miss Vroom still have half a day's advantage on us, and we aren't gonna catch up to them anytime soon if we keep lollygagging around here!"

Mater grinned and drove after him. "C'mon fellas!" he shouted. "Let's git 'er done!"

* * *

_Yay! Another update! Yes, that was a shameless Larry the Cable Guy plug just now. And yes, I am fully aware that I misspelled his catchphrase. That was intentional, otherwise I thought it just looked too awkward in dialogue._


	29. Black Ice

_Sorry this chapter took a little longer than planned. I actually finished it a couple of days ago, but somehow the entire thing got deleted before I could post it. I was extremely pissed off about that, but luckily I could remember almost everything I wrote, so after I threw a temper tantrum, I calmed down and tried again. _

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:  
BLACK ICE

Vee drove slowly across the vacant lot, balancing an oil drum on her hood. A light drizzle of rain blurred her windshield, and she turned her wipers on to clear it. She slowed to a crawl as she rounded the corner of a dilapidated brick building that had once been a supermarket, careful not to tip the drum. It wobbled for a moment, and she could hear the oil sloshing around inside it.

Behind the store, in a dank, dirty alley, Mack stood beside the trailer rummaging through a tool box. Tangled weeds choked with trash lined the narrow passage between the store and another brick building. The mingled odors of rain, rot and motor oil wafted up from slimy puddles on the broken pavement. Little mud-colored bugs buzzed around a nearby dumpster. Vee wrinkled her nose at the smells, but, having chosen the location for the sole purpose of hiding the trailer, she did not complain.

Mack looked up from his tool box when he heard Vee approach and smiled. "Hey, Sugar Lips!" he greeted her. "'Bout time you got back. I was starting to get worried."

"Sorry it took so long," Vee replied as she parked in front of him. "Dinner is served!"

Mack stared at the oil drum on her hood. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked her.

"Only if you think it's oil," she answered with a grin. "Would you mind?" She fidgeted a little. "My hood is killing me."

"Oh! Sure." Mack lifted the drum off her hood, revealing a small indentation where it had been sitting. He set it carefully on the ground between them. "Wow," he murmured. "How'd you get a hold of this? Legally, I hope."

Vee popped her hood open to ease the dent out of it. Mack blushed and quickly pretended to be busy trying to pry the lid off the drum, but his eyes were soon drawn back to her and he found himself staring shamelessly. "Chrysler," he breathed.

Vee smirked and slammed her hood shut with a bang. "Yes?" she asked sweetly.

Mack smirked back. "Very funny."

Vee chuckled and blew him a kiss, then took hold of the oil drum and ripped the lid off with gusto. "Am I getting stronger, or are you getting weaker?" she teased. She took a drink and nodded to Mack to help himself. He stuck his tongue out at her, but accepted the drum and gulped it down.

"Got something else for you, too," she told him, and turned around. Mack stared down at her back bumper, eyes wide. Vee noticed his expression in her mirror and laughed. "Don't get any ideas," she joked. "I was talking about this." She popped open her trunk, revealing a red plastic gas can filled to the brim with fuel. "I topped off my own tank and got some diesel for you."

"Oh. Wow, thanks!"

"No problem."

Mack reached into her trunk. "So how did you get all this stuff?"

"Oh, I just bribed the guy who was working at that gas station down the road," Vee replied casually.

Mack fumbled the gas can and it fell with a clunk on the damp pavement. "You didn't -" he stammered, staring at her in horror.

Vee turned to face him again. "Of course not! Jeez Mack, get your mind out of the gutter! I just traded some stuff from the trailer." Mack didn't look convinced enough for her. "Honest! That's all I did!" she insisted.

"You were gone an awful long time, though."

"Only an hour." Mack raised a brow. "Hey, it wasn't easy trying to find someone who actually wanted that crap. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Lightning McQueen fans in this town."

Mack turned to look inside the trailer. "So what did you give him?" he asked, trying to determine what was missing.

Vee shrugged and took another sip of oil. "Oh, this and that. Couple of posters, some bobble-head toys… anything with McQueen's face on it. That guy at the gas station sure was stoked. Claimed to be his number one fan."

"Great. First the jailbreak, then grand theft trailer…" Mack sighed and shook his hood. "And now this." He made an accusing gesture at the gas can in front of him.

"Well, we don't have a whole lot of options right now," Vee reminded him. "Either we find an honest way to keep our tanks filled, or we starve."

Mack sipped his fuel. "Somehow I can't see hocking Lightning's stuff as honest."

Vee frowned at him. "Don't think I don't feel bad about all of this. I do intend to pay him back, you know."

"I know."

She took a final sip of oil and pushed the drum away. Mack frowned. "What's the matter?" he asked her. "Aren't you hungry?"

Vee shrugged. "I've had enough."

"You hardly had two sips!"

"And that was plenty," she insisted. "We need to make it last a while. Who knows when we'll be able to get more? Besides, I need to lose some weight."

Mack smirked at her. "Says who?" he demanded. "You don't need to impress anyone but me!" He moved closer to her and reached a tire out to caress her side. "And I'm already impressed," he murmured, fogging up her window with his hot breath. Vee felt his lips graze her side and bit her own lip to suppress a giggle.

"Mm, so am I," she purred, leaning into him. "Especially after last night." Mack blushed crimson, but couldn't help smiling at the compliment.

Feeling bold, he planted a big, wet kiss just above her front wheel well.

Vee giggled. "Jeez, just slobber all over me, why don't you!" She gave him a playful shove.

"Mm, don't mind if I do!" Mack replied, pulling her close again. He tried to plant another wet one on her cheek, but she wiggled out of his grasp and backed into the narrow space between the trailer and the building, where he couldn't reach her. She stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.

"You do realize that I can easily move the trailer, right?" he said with a smug grin.

"And _you_ realize that I'm a lot faster than you, right?" Vee teased back with an even smugger grin.

Mack started pushing the trailer aside. Vee waited until he'd widened the gap enough, then zoomed out past him.

"Hey!" he shouted, spinning around. Vee laughed and drove back to him, nuzzling his cheek. He returned the gesture with a purr. "You drive me crazy sometimes. You know that?"

Vee chuckled. "You drive me crazy, too. In fact, you drive me everywhere!" She kissed his cheek. "And I wouldn't want anyone else driving me there but you."

He kissed her back. "Well, I guess we'd better get going now," he murmured. Vee nodded in agreement and drove up the ramp into the trailer. Mack passed the oil drum and the gas can up to her and she stowed them in a cabinet in the back.

"Don't worry about the oil," he told her, sticking his grille into the trailer. "Drink all you want. I've got our next meal covered!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I sold my snow chains to another big rig while you were out. Got forty bucks for 'em."

"Great." Far from looking impressed, Vee smirked at him. "You do realize that we'll be heading right into a snowstorm now, don't you?"

Mack frowned. "What do you mean? I didn't hear any snow warnings on the radio."

"Yeah, but you know how it goes: when you don't have your snow chains, that's when you need 'em the most. Just like every time you get waxed it starts to rain."

"I thought it was supposed to be every time you get washed?"

Vee shook her hood. "Not for me. Seems like every time I get myself waxed there's like a downpour right afterward."

"I bet I know why!" Mack chuckled.

Vee laughed and smacked him on the grille. "Go get hitched up!"

* * *

_Talk about irony,_ Mack thought to himself as the snow and bitter winds swirled all around him. The mountain road was slick with black ice, making it nearly impossible for him to maintain good traction while he drove. He pointedly ignored Vee's "I told you so!" and pressed on, driving slower and slower the higher he climbed. The brim of his cap protected his eyes from the sharp wind and snow, but of course did nothing to keep him from inhaling it through his grille. 

Inside the trailer, Vee watched the snow sweep past the tinted windows. Though she was safe and warm, the view outside made her shiver slightly. Mack had driven through worse conditions before, and he slept outside all the time, spring, summer, autumn and winter. He was built for this sort of thing. Even so, Vee couldn't help feeling guilty about all the unnecessary strain he was putting on himself right now.

True, he had an internal heating and cooling system like most vehicles did, and hauling the trailer up the mountain was probably helping him keep warm too, but still…

"How you doing, Mack?" Vee called to him over the intercom.

"Eh, not too bad," came his staticky reply. A gust of wind shook the trailer. "I'm freezing my nuts off out here. My bolts are okay, though." Vee laughed. "The road's pretty slippery, but I've driven in worse. Like the time I went up to -" Another gust of wind hit the trailer and rocked it hard. Mack's words were drowned out by static.

"What?" Vee yelled into the intercom. "I can't hear you! Mack?"

He spoke again, and this time he sounded as though he were calling to her from across a canyon. "…can't do it… too much… not enough traction to… getting worse…" was all she could make out.

Vee was about to call out to him again when a sudden violent jolt slammed her against the wall. The trailer vibrated, and a loud groaning noise issued from beneath her tires. "Mack? What's going on?" she shouted. The trailer slowly began to tilt. It jolted again, and Vee tumbled sideways against the wall. Now slanted at a forty-five degree angle, she glanced out the window and her engine died. Countless snowflakes swirled past the window, only to be swallowed up by the dark chasm at the bottom of the mountain.

For one terrifying moment, the trailer seemed to hang suspended in time and space. And then, it happened. Vee screamed as they plummeted into the gorge below. The trailer fell for what seemed an impossibly long time before it struck something solid and rolled. Vee was tossed and flung and tumbled against the walls, ceiling and floor. With a final, dull thud, it came to a sudden stop.

Vee had no idea how long she lay there on her side, eyes shut tight against the nightmare ride she'd just experienced. When at last she opened her eyes, she found herself face to face with a bobble-head toy. Though it stood right side up, its spring was mangled and the little Lightning figurine hung from it dejectedly. It was dark in the trailer, the only light coming from the window above her.

Vee struggled to roll over, kicking damaged McQueen merchandise out of her way as she righted herself. One glance around her told her that the trailer had landed on its side. She strained her ears for something, anything, but all she could hear was the faint, ghostly whistle of the wind outside. "Mack…"

Engine racing, Vee waded through the debris and hit the intercom switch. "Mack?" No answer. She pressed the door button. There was a faint whirring sound, then the ramp began to lower. It opened three or four inches, then jarred and quit. "No!" Vee threw her front tires against the door and pushed with all her might.

Slowly, inch by inch, it began to give. Snow as high as her wheel wells poured into the trailer. Vee kept pushing until the gap was nearly wide enough for her to pass through. She squeezed through the opening, scraping her sides in the process. Once outside, she looked around. The trailer lay at the foot of the mountain, in a narrow gorge filled with rocks and snow. Vee stared numbly at the trailer's underside, then followed the length of it with her eyes. Her engine died.

There lay Mack, motionless on his side with the trailer still hitched to his fifth wheel. From where she stood, hubcap-deep in the snow, she could not see his face. There was no telling whether he was still conscious, or even… Vee swallowed another sob and shook her hood fiercely. She wasn't even going to think about that possibility. Taking a deep breath, she plowed through the snow toward her friend.

"Mack! Mack, speak to me! Please!"

Mack cracked an eye open. Vee reached a tire out and placed it on his hood. His entire body was covered with dents and scratches. The snow beneath him was stained with oil and transmission fluid. He groaned quietly and forced both eyes open.

"Vee…" he croaked, his voice raspy and frail.

"Mack," Vee sobbed, in a voice just as hoarse.

"Are - are you okay?"

Vee nodded, blinking back tears. "I'm fine." She did her best to fight back another sob. She knew she had to stay strong for him. "What about you?" she asked, nearly choking on her words. One look at him and anyone could see that he was far from fine. "C-can you get up?"

Mack turned a front tire slightly and groaned. "No. I don't - rrrnngh - I don't think so." It seemed to take a huge effort for him to speak. His sides heaved as he drew in one ragged breath after another. Though the wind howled loudly through the gorge, hearing him breathe was far more chilling. Vee pressed closer to him, shivering.

"Oh Mack…"

Through a haze of pain, Mack looked sadly at his friend. He drew in another deep breath and tried to talk again. "Help," he wheezed.

Vee blinked and sniffled. "What?"

"Radio… call for help…"

"Oh!" She moved closer and looked him over. "Is it on?"

Mack's pained grunt confirmed that it was. Vee kept a reassuring tire pressed against his hood as she called for help. "H-hello? Is anyone there?" she called out, uncertainly. She waited a moment, then took a deep breath and shouted out "Please! We need help! It's an emergency! We've fallen into a ravine. Ma - my hauler is hurt badly! Hello? Somebody, _please_! Help us!"

Sobbing, Vee tried again, over and over, but to no avail. The faint crackle of static and the wailing of the wind were the only answer to her call.

* * *

_OMFG! What have I done? (slaps self) Illustrations at DA as always!_

_Note: Since cars seem to spend so much time outdoors and don't wear clothing or anything else that visibly keeps them comfortable, I theorized that they use their heaters and air conditioners to regulate their body temperature. _

_BTW everyone only five chapters left to go!!!_


	30. A Helping Hook

CHAPTER THIRTY:  
A HELPING HOOK

"I'm… so cold…" Mack's words were little more than a whisper on the icy air, so faint that at first Vee wasn't even sure she had heard them.

She forced her eyes open, the lashes sealed with frozen tears. "What?"

Mack's body shook from a fit of coughing. "Cold," he said again, slightly louder this time.

Vee sniffled and nuzzled the side of her hood against his. She shivered. He was as cold as ice. "Turn your heater on," she told him. Her own voice was as frail as his from crying. "Warm yourself up."

Mack squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. He looked like he was in pain. When he opened them again, he looked even more miserable than ever. "I can't," he moaned. "C-can't turn it on. Can't s-s-start engine. Too c-cold."

Vee blinked back the threat of more tears and swallowed hard. "Well, you've got all that snow on you. No wonder you're cold." Despite her words, there was no denying the thin layer of snow laying across her own hood and roof. "Here, lemme brush it off." She stood up on her back tires and, using one front tire to balance herself against Mack's hood, tried to reach up with her other front tire and clear away the snow that had fallen on him. There was little she could reach from her position, and after her second slip she decided it was pointless and gave up. Sniffling, she pressed herself close to him again, sheltered from the bitter wind in the space between his hood and the brim of his cap.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, tears brimming here eyes once more. "I tried."

As miserable as he felt already, seeing his best friend so upset over him made Mack feel even worse. "P-please don't cry, Vee," he murmured. "Ev-everything's g-gonna be okay. You'll see." This was followed by another coughing fit that only discouraged her even more.

"Oh Mack…" she sobbed all the harder. Mack stopped coughing and frowned.

"Stop it," he ordered. His voice carried an unexpected strength and resonance that effectively silenced his friend. Vee stared at him in shock. "No more tears," he continued, gentler this time. "I ca- I can't stand seeing you like this, V-vee. It hurts. Worse than f-falling off that m-m-mountain." His voice grew weaker by the word until he was whispering again. "So please. P-please don't c-cry anym - anymore."

Vee's lip trembled, and she bit it to keep it steady. She clenched her eyes shut and rubbed her left side against Mack's hood. Whether that gesture was meant to comfort Mack or herself, she couldn't say. She held back the tears for his sake, but inside she was weeping openly, her mind screaming in panic. There was no telling how much time had passed in their frozen hell at the bottom of that ravine. An hour? Half an hour? Half a day, perhaps?

The snow had long since ceased and the wind had calmed considerably. Now and then a frail sunbeam would break through the dingy clouds. It was eerily quiet in the gorge. After a while Mack opened his eyes and looked at Vee.

"Try again," he whispered.

Startled, Vee jumped and stared at him. "Huh?"

"Storm's over. T-try again."

Vee backed away from him slightly. "We've tried five times already!" she replied. "Either your CB's damaged or we're out of range!"

Mack drew in a deep breath. "Weather m-makes a difference, too."

Vee sighed. "All right. I'll try." She rolled closer to him. "Hello? Is anyone out there? We need help! We've fallen into a ravine and my hauler is hurt badly. Please! It's an emergency! We need help right away!" There was a faint hiss that faded into silence, but no answer. Vee started sobbing.

"It's no use! There's no one out there who's gonna help us!" she growled, kicking up a small flurry of snow.

Mack drew in another deep breath. "Then you - you're gonna have to go," he wheezed.

Vee stopped kicking the snow and stared at him. "What?"

"I'm not - not gonna hold you b-back. Just go. Leave m-me here."

Vee's eyes widened in shock. "No! No, Mack. I'm not leaving you! Ever!"

"F-forget me. I'll be -"

"NO!" Vee's shout echoed off the surrounding mountains. "This is all MY fault, and I'm not going to let you lie here and suffer because of me! I'm going to get help, and I WILL be coming back for you! That's a promise!"

And without even giving him a chance to protest, Vee kissed him fervently on the lips, then turned and plowed her way through the snow. Too weak to call her back, Mack watched helplessly as she disappeared from sight around a boulder.

Vee didn't get very far before the snow grew too deep for her to drive through. When it started coming up over her hood, she stopped and tried to back out of it, only to find herself sinking even more. She managed a single, strangled cry for help before the snow poured into her mouth and silenced her. Vee gagged and spat it out. She tried to turn around, pulling herself up onto a nearby rock. Her tires started to slide so she tightened her grip, but it was no use.

Vee tipped back into the snow and was swallowed up by it, buried up to her roof. Her engine raced and she struggled with all her might, but to no avail. After several minutes, she gave up, exhausted. The icy walls of her prison seemed to close in around her.

Then suddenly, it happened. CLANK! Something small and hard landed on her trunk, causing her to yelp and start struggling again. The small something - a rock? an icicle? - slid off and slipped underneath her back bumper, where it seemed to attach itself to her. Vee let out a second, much louder yelp as she suddenly found herself being yanked backwards and out of the snow.

Whatever had seized hold of her was now dragging her, screaming, up the side of the mountain. As suddenly as it had happened, it was over with. Vee was dropped onto a flat, rocky surface, not far up from where she had been trapped. Panting heavily and trembling, she could only stare numbly down at her imprint in the snow for a moment before something touched her side and she jumped.

"Shoot, Miss Vee! Ah didn't mean tuh scare ya none, but you was turnin' into uh right perdy lil carsicle down there!"

Mouth agape, Vee stared at her rescuer. "Mater?"

The rusty tow truck grinned proudly. "That's muh name!" Behind him on the ledge stood Doc Hudson, Sheriff, and Lightning McQueen. Vee blinked several times and shook her hood, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing.

"Oh my Dodge!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace each of them in turn, including Sheriff, who stared back at her as though she'd just bitten him. "What are you all doing here?"

"After I came back to town and heard what happened, I knew something smelled fishy," Doc explained. "Especially after hearing these three tell their separate versions of the story. Something about it all just didn't add up, so we set out to find you and Mack and try to help you in any way we could."

"That's right," Lightning confirmed. "We've been on your trail for days. We would've caught up to you a lot sooner if _someone _hadn't been dragging his ass the whole time!" He glared pointedly at Sheriff, who glared back and mumbled something about "gal darn speeders."

"How did you ever find us?" Vee asked Doc.

"It wasn't easy, I can tell you that much. If you want to thank anyone, thank Mater here for tracking you down to this gorge."

Vee turned to Mater, who blushed and scuffed the ground with a tire. "T'weren't nothing, really. Ah jist heard ya calling fer help on mah CB radio. Y'all kept callin' and callin', and Ah jist kept followin' and followin' and perdy soon Ah took a little trip down inta this here ravine and there you was in the snow right there."

Lightning snorted. "Little trip, huh? More like a hundred-foot fall if you ask me."

Mater gave him a puzzled look. "Sorry, but Ah don't recall askin' ya."

"Where is Mack, anyway?" Doc asked. He glanced around the ravine.

"And my trailer!" Lightning demanded. "Taking it to hide out in I can overlook, but if you've been fooling around with any of my stuff…"

* * *

Lightning's horrified cry went ignored by the others as they crowded around Mack. Doc immediately seized control of the situation. 

"Mater, unhitch that trailer. Sheriff, get the tool kit and the transmission fluid out of my trunk. Vee, I'm going to need your help with this. Rookie, for crying out loud, forget about your damn trailer! It's replaceable. Mack isn't. Now get over here and help us!"

No one wasted any time obeying Doc's orders. Not wasting any time himself, the old Hudson promptly opened Mack's hood and started to work on him. Time ticked by. After some (fairly) minor repairs, followed by infusions of oil, transmission fluid and antifreeze, Doc shut his hood again and moved back.

"All right. I've done all I can for now." He sighed, slightly out of breath. "Now all we've got to do is get you back on your tires and out of this gorge. Mater?"

"Yeah, Doc?"

"Think you've got what it takes to tow a semi?"

Mater's smile faded as he looked from Doc to Mack. "Uh well, Ah guess Ah kin try. Ah ain't never towed no one bigger'n mahself before." That said, he rolled closer to Mack and let out several feet of his tow cable. Sheriff grabbed the hook and slipped it under Mack's wheel well. Mater reeled the cable back in until the line was taut.

"Ready?" he yelled.

Mack murmured something and Vee patted his grille. "Ready!" she shouted back.

"Okay!" With a roar of his engine and a screeching of tires, Mater began to crawl forward. Snow flew up from behind him. "Rrrrrrrrrrgh…" He clenched his teeth and switched gears, towing harder than he had ever towed in his entire life.

"Come on, Mater, you can do it!" Vee cheered him on.

"Yeah! That's right!" Lightning joined in. "It's just like pulling Bessie, and I know how much you like her!"

"She were a breeze!" Mater grunted. "No offense, Mack - hhrrrnnn - but ya might wanna think about losin' a ton or three." Just as he said this, Mater felt himself sliding backwards. Without snow chains, he had little traction in the snow.

"Quick!" Doc shouted. "Sheriff, Lightning, get behind Mack and start pushing!" They obeyed and were followed immediately by Doc, who aided them in their effort. Vee approached Mater and laid a reassuring tire on his.

"I know you can do it, Mater," she told him. "I just know it."

Mater looked at her guiltily. "Ah'm tryin' hard as Ah can, Miss Vee. Honest to Dodge Ah am."

"I know, but… try harder. Please?"

The pleading look on her face was like a high-octane fuel injection. It empowered him. His engine roared to life again and he surged forward. Very slowly at first, Mater inched his way through the snow, lifting Mack up off his side. Behind him, Doc, Sheriff and Lightning pushed with all their might. Vee glanced back and forth between Mack and Mater, watching the progress with bated breath. The tow truck continued to claw his way forward, growling and grunting and panting heavily.

Suddenly, the line went slack. There was a muffled thud as Mack landed upright on his tires. A round of cheers went up from the group. Mater collapsed, breathless and trembling, in the snow. Vee drove up to him and hugged him.

"Thank you, Mater," she whispered. Mater blushed.

"Aw shucks, Miss Vee. T'weren't nothin'. Ah's jist doin' what Ah was built fer, that's all."

Vee shook her hood. "No. You did so much more than that." She gazed at him for a moment, then, to everyone's surprise (including her own), she leaned forward and kissed him, long and hard, on the lips. When at last she pulled away, slightly breathless, her face was as rosy as the dawn. Mater blushed redder than Mack. His headlight to headlight grin was infectious. Vee smiled back.

"Hey, what about me?" Mack demanded. He drove over to Mater and Vee, slightly unsteady. "Don't I get a kiss too?"

Lightning parked beside him. "Yeah, and what about me? I helped too!"

Mack growled at him and Vee chuckled. "Of course you do," she purred, wasting no time in capturing Mack's lips with her own.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this? I think it would be best if you allowed yourself to recover a little first." Vee pulled up beside Mack as he came to a stop, hauling the trailer behind him. 

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "The storm's over and the sun's out. Plus it looks like a salt truck came by recently." He nodded at the iceless mountain road before them. "Should be easy going from now on. Get in."

Vee shook her hood. "It's Lightning's trailer. He should be the one riding in it, not me."

"Go ahead," said McQueen. "I'll drive."

"Well, okay…" Hesitantly, Vee drove up the ramp into the trailer. The interior was a mess. Vee swept all the Lightning merchandise into the back and settled down on the plush carpet, mulling over the day's events.

_Ford Almighty, what have I done? Mack could have gotten killed because of me! If he didn't have me to worry about, he'd be safe at home back in Radiator Springs right now, without a scratch on him. _

A single tear brimmed her eyes until she blinked it away. It slid down her hood. "Oh Mack…" Another tear fell and she heard it splash on something that was not the carpet. She turned a tire and heard something crinkle beneath her. Vee backed up a little and looked down. On the floor before her lay a signed Lightning McQueen poster, wrinkled and ripped. She stared down at it for a long time, then sniffled and turned the paper over.

Just as she'd hoped, the backside was blank. She turned and searched the mess for one of those tacky pencils she'd seen earlier. They had lightning bolts on a red solid background and a red eraser shaped like McQueen. After a minute or two, she found one. This pencil had lost its eraser, and the graphite point was dull but thankfully still intact. Blinking back a fresh wave of tears, Vee took the pencil and paper and began to write.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time Mack and the gang pulled up to a diner in a tiny town in the foothills. Mack unhitched the trailer with a sigh of relief, then knocked on the door. 

"The guys and I are gonna go drain the old oil pan," he announced. "Be right back."

Vee peered out the cracked and tinted window, watching the five men drive around to the back of the diner. She stared after them for a moment, then took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly. The ramp did not descend fast enough for her, having been damaged in the fall. Vee rammed it twice to get it to open. Once outside, she glanced around both sides of the trailer to see if the coast was clear. Tears splattered the broken asphalt, only to be replaced by black tire tracks and the stench of burnt rubber as she sped away.

A minute later Mack and the others returned. "Hoo boy, what a relief that was!" Mack sighed as he drove around to the back of the trailer. "Hey Vee, are you hungry? Cuz they've got a lot of -" he trailed off, noticing that the ramp was down and the trailer empty. Sheriff pulled up beside him.

"Something wrong?"

"Vee's gone."

"Probably just went to the restroom."

"Yeah, probably."

Lightning drove up the ramp and groaned. "I seriously doubt my insurance will cover this." He gasped. "My stereo! Oh my Dodge!" Another gasp. "And the mini-bar!"

Mack smirked and turned away.

Lightning spotted something on the floor. "Hey, what's this?" he murmured. Mack ignored him. In the center of the trailer floor, near the door, stood a Lightning bobble-head. Underneath it was a large piece of paper. Lightning pushed the bobble-head aside and started to read what was written on the paper.

"Uh, Mack? I think you'd better come take a look at this."

Mack turned around and was surprised to see the troubled look on his friend's face. Lightning pushed the paper toward him. The note appeared rushed, but he recognized it immediately as Vee's writing.

_Mack -_

_Words can't express how grateful I am for your friendship. You've done so much for me, and all I've done in return is cause trouble. I'm so sorry for what happened today. I can't bear to see you get hurt again, which is why I'm going away. I love you so much, and it hurts me to do this, but I know it's for the best. Please do not come looking for me. The further I am from you, the better off you are._

_Love you always_

_Vee_

* * *

_Wow. Just when I thought it couldn't get any sadder. (sobs) Please stay tuned and check out the art on DA. Link is in my FFN profile._


	31. Alone

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:  
ALONE

Mack stared at the letter for what seemed like an eternity. He stared with eyes unfocused, eyes that no longer saw the wrinkled paper before him nor the smudged tread marks on it, not even the words themselves. The dismal gray sky began to darken with the coming of night. A light mist descended on the five vehicles gathered around the back of the trailer in the diner parking lot.

Concerned, Doc Hudson looked up at the big truck and asked "What is it, Mack?" Mack did not reply. He didn't even blink. Doc gently pried the paper out from under his tire and read Vee's goodbye letter. Even though it had started to rain, the hastily written note was already splotched with what he was certain were tears. He too stared at it for a ridiculously long time, then sighed and passed it to Sheriff.

The squad car didn't take nearly as long to study it. "So, she's gone?" he asked quietly, looking around at the other men.

"Who's gone?" Mater inquired, also looking around. "Hey fellas, why all the long faces?"

Without a word, Sheriff pushed the paper toward him. It took him a ridiculously long time to read it, but when he was finished, his reaction was the most stunned of all.

"Dad-gum!" Mater exclaimed. He turned to the others. "What're we all standin' 'round here fer? We gots tuh find 'er!"

Sheriff snorted. "Are you kidding? The gal's long gone by now, and Ford only knows which way she could have gone!"

Mack snapped out of his daze and stared at Sheriff. "Ford?" He gasped. "Oh Chrysler! Slade Ford's out looking for her right now! He'll kill her if he finds her!"

"Well c'mon then!" Mater replied as he turned to go. "Le's go find Miss Vee 'fore he does!"

"Mater's right," Doc announced. He turned to follow the tow truck out of the lot, but Mack beat him to it and was already barreling down the highway.

"Wait!" Lightning shouted after him. "What about my trailer?"

Doc turned to glare at him. "Stow it up your tailpipe for all I care! Now come on!"

Sheriff sped off after Mack with his lights and siren on. When he finally caught up to him a mile or two down the road, he turned them off and pulled up alongside him.

"Slow down, dang it!" the squad car shouted. "You're eighteen miles over the speed limit and this isn't a truck lane!"

Mack gave him an irritated sideways glance, but didn't answer him.

Sheriff scowled. "What the hell is your problem? Do you want a ticket for speeding AND resisting an officer?"

"Leave him alone, Sheriff!" Lightning shouted as he came up behind him. "You don't wanna get in his way when he's pissed!"

"Well, if he'd just move over into the truck lane -"

"Why should he move?" Mater asked as he finally caught up. "He's in a hurry an' he ain't haulin' nothin.'"

"Oh yes he is!" Lightning argued. "He's hauling ass!"

Doc appeared then and passed the entire group. He pulled in front of Mack and slowed down, forcing the big rig to do the same.

"Slow down a second, will you!" he shouted back to him. He nodded toward the side of the road and pulled over. Reluctant and breathless, Mack followed suit, followed shortly by the other three. Doc quickly spun around to face him. "Look," he huffed, "I know you're upset right now, but just listen to me, all right?"

Mack gave him an apologetic look but did not argue.

"We've got to think this thing through before we go zooming off to Dodge-knows-where on some wild goose chase. For instance, didn't it occur to you that she might have gone in a different direction?"

Mack frowned and shook his hood fiercely. "No. I'm sure she went this way." He nodded toward the west. "That's where we were headed to begin with. And if she's trying to keep away from me, she wouldn't be going back toward Radiator Springs."

"But if she keeps going this way, she'll end up back in Los Angeles," Sheriff spoke up. "Why would she go back there if that's where those men are from?"

"Because they'd never expect her to go back!" Mack argued. "That's _why_ we were heading west the whole time!"

Doc nodded. "Clever strategy."

Mack nodded too. "It was her idea," he murmured, staring sadly down at his hood. Sheriff opened his mouth to speak, but let it go. The group fell silent. The misty drizzle that had begun minutes earlier was now a gentle rain. Mater looked up at Mack just in time to see a large teardrop slide down the side of his hood and splatter on his right wheel well.

"Gee whiz, Mack. If'n it weren't rainin' Ah'd swear Ah'd seen ya cryin' jist now."

Mack glanced down at him. At first, his gaze was hollow and distant, then suddenly it turned cold. He frowned and turned away, shutting his eyes tight. Despite the rain, the was no denying the tears that glistened on his face. The others said nothing. They watched in silent sympathy as the semi's massive frame shuddered. And then suddenly, before any of them knew what was happening, he bolted. With a roar of his engine Mack took off like a shot down the highway with Mater, Doc, Lightning and Sheriff following close behind.

Doc was the first to catch up with him. "Whoa! Hold up there, Mack!" he yelled. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? Vee could be anywhere by now!"

"But she might still be close enough for me to contact her!" Mack shouted back.

"What do you mean?" Doc asked. "Does she have a CB?"

"No, but she got a ham radio installed back in high school. I can tap into the frequency if I'm close enough." Mack slowed down until he was within the speed limit and switched on his CB. Much to his relief, the rain began to ease up. He took a deep, shaky breath and called out to her.

* * *

"Vee! Vee, can you hear me? It's Mack! Please answer me!" 

Vee nearly braked in the middle of the highway when she heard Mack's voice on her radio. Her first instinct was to shut it off. She knew that was what she should have done right away. She was far too distraught to have to listen to the pleas of her best friend, let alone the simple traffic report that she had been tuning in on a moment before.

"Please, Vee. Please come back," Mack begged. His voice was so thick with static it sounded as though he had a bad cold. Vee began to slow down until she was only doing half the speed limit on the deserted road. Every fiber of her being was struggling between the desire to answer him and the compulsion to turn off her radio and end the tear jerking transmission.

"I know we've been through a lot together these past few weeks, but please - please don't blame yourself for any of it. None of this was your fault. I came all this way with you because I wanted to, not because I had to. I know I can turn back any time and just forget about you, but… no. No, I can't. I can't imagine how I could have gotten this far without you, but there's no turning back now. I don't know if you can even hear me, but… I love you."

Vee slammed on her brakes. The loud screech and burnt rubber stench that followed went unnoticed by the shivering Chrysler. She swallowed a lump in her throat and found that her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

"I love you, Vee. I really do," Mack went on. His voice was calmer and far quieter now, a frail whisper that was little more than an aspen leaf quivering in the wind. It took Vee a moment to realize that he was crying. "I love you more than anything, and I can't - I can't live without you. Please, _please _come back to me! You don't have to be alone in this. Whatever happens, you'll always be my best friend and I'll always be there for you. Always."

There was no holding back now. The brittle dam that was Vee's resolve suddenly burst, letting forth a fresh wave of tears. She shut her radio off finally and flicked her high beams on. It took a couple of tries to get her engine going, and it gave out a heartrending groan as it turned over. She started moving again, very, very slowly, tearing herself away from all she was leaving behind and forcing herself onward.

The world grew darker and darker around her until everything - all the love, all the joy and hope in her life was swallowed up by the night, until all that remained was a single pair of headlights to lead her down the long and lonely road.

* * *

_Okay, folks, as of now there are only four chapters left. I got an idea for a slight plot twist last night and now I have to add another chapter to the countdown. Nothing major, just a little something extra for no real reason at all. There will now be thirty-five chapters total. I am still aiming for the end of January as the deadline for finishing this fic, so please stay tuned for some (hopefully) speedy updates!_


	32. Last Stop in LA

_Warning for some mild sexual content._

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:  
LAST STOP IN L.A.

Vee looked up at the apartment building uncertainly. It was a dirty, rundown, sorry-looking structure that by some miracle was still standing on its own. Its aged and incredibly cheap paintjob was almost a perfect match to the miserable gray rain clouds overhead. She took another look at the hastily scrawled address on the back of the liquor store receipt and compared it to the one on the building.

_1601 Hertz_ Ave. _#18... _Though the number on the building read only 160, Vee noted that the grime on the wall clearly outlined the space where the number 1 used to be. She approached the ramp that led to the second floor and paused. It didn't look as though it could support a forklift, let alone an (in her opinion) overweight Chrysler. Very slowly, she drove onto the ramp. Sure enough, the ancient wood groaned beneath her. She sped up.

Though it did not complain nearly as loudly, the second-story balcony did appear to be much sturdier. Vee looked around. To her right was a rickety-looking banister which she decided to keep a safe distance from. On her left was a row of doors, half a dozen in all and starting with number fourteen. Vee rolled slowly down to eighteen and parked in front of it. She stared at the tarnished brass numbers for a moment, then took a deep, steadying breath and knocked on the apartment door.

Moments later it opened, and a timid-looking white Corvette with wide blue eyes peeked out. There was a gasp, then the door was flung open all the way.

"Veronica? Oh my Dodge!"

Vee offered a small smile. "Hey, Yvette. How's it going?"

The Corvette drove out onto the landing. "What happened to you? Where have you been all this time? Oh my Dodge, I was so worried about you! Wow! Look at you! You're all purple and - and - oh my Dodge! Come in!"

Vee smiled meekly. "Thanks," she murmured, and drove inside. The interior of the apartment was dark. Blankets and bed sheets had been tacked up over the windows. The place had the dank smell of mold and warm root beer. There was a stack of cardboard boxes overflowing with miscellaneous items in one corner, and a nightstand with a lamp on it in another corner. Between these two, a large, soiled-looking mattress lay sprawled across the threadbare brown carpet.

Yvette shut the door and bolted it. "Make yourself at home," she said, nodding toward the mattress. Vee parked herself on the edge of the bed. "Um, can I get you something? Coffee? Oil?" asked the young woman as she drove around to the other side of it. Vee shook her hood.

"No thanks."

Yvette parked next to her on the mattress. "How did you find me?" she asked.

"Got your address from your mom," Vee explained. "I remembered she lived across the street from that liquor store down on Palmwood and Price so I went and paid her a visit."

Yvette nodded. "So what happened that night?" she demanded suddenly. "I thought you got caught in the fire. I know Slade got burned a bit, but unfortunately he made it out okay. Everyone did. But you just disappeared! What happened? Where did you go?"

Vee sighed. "It's a loooonnng story."

"Oh, that's okay. I've got a while before my next john shows up, so go ahead."

Vee smirked at her. "You're still doing that?"

Yvette blushed. "Um, well - yeah. Money's tight, you know, and Mom's been awful sick lately." She averted her eyes to an oil stain on the carpet and shrugged. "And it's - it's all I really know how to do."

Vee opened her mouth to say something, but let it go. As sorry as she felt for Yvette, she knew there was little she could do for the girl. Hoping to take her mind off her troubles, she proceeded to tell her everything that had happened since her escape from the escort agency. When she was finished, Yvette looked even more distraught than before.

"Chrysler," she whispered, staring at Vee in shock.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable under the younger woman's gaze, Vee cast about for a change of subject. "So what about you and the other girls?" she queried. "What did you do after the fire?"

Yvette dropped her eyes to her hood and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. We all pretty much just went our separate ways. I haven't heard from anyone since that night. Except for Darla. She's two doors down."

Vee raised a brow. "She is, huh?" Yvette nodded. "Jeez. Just can't seem to get rid of her, can we?" She was pleased to hear the young woman allow herself a small chuckle at that comment.

"So, what are you going to do?" Yvette asked.

Vee's own smile quickly faded at her words. She tried to think of a decent reply, but it seemed like every time she was asked that particular question, she became less and less certain of the answer. After a while she sighed heavily and stared down her hood.

"I don't know," she mumbled, feeling the sting of a tear in her eye and blinking it back. "I've just left everything that ever mattered to me behind, and I have nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to. What _can _I do?" She turned to Yvette with an almost pleading look.

Yvette bit her lip, unsure of what to say.

"I've got no home, no job, no money. Nothing. If only…" she trailed off. There were so many ways she wanted to finish that sentence, but instead she let it hang there, as hollow and hopeless as she felt inside. Vee's gaze drifted across the room to a tiny TV set on which a reporter was silently interviewing a dark red semi who was heading a local trucker's strike. His slight resemblance to Mack immediately reminded her of her best friend. She could still hear his words in her head, begging her to come back, telling her how much he loved her…

Yvette jumped at the sudden sound of the Chrysler's sobs. "Veronica?"

Vee sniffled and swallowed her tears. "M'okay," she whispered. "I just - I just miss him so much."

"Mack?"

Vee nodded.

Yvette moved closer to her and rubbed her side with a reassuring tire. "Then go back to him," she said simply.

"I can't!" Vee sobbed. "Don't you see? I'll only endanger him if I go back now! Slade and Joey will kill anyone who gets in their way. You know they will! I've put Mack through too much already. I don't want to ruin his life anymore than I already have." Vee stared miserably down her hood and tried to fight back another shuddering sob.

Yvette shifted uneasily on the mattress. "But if he really loves you -"

"I can't. I just can't."

"But -"

"No. I love him too much to see him hurt."

Yvette drove off the mattress and parked directly in front of her. "Veronica…" Vee looked away, eyes brimming with frustrated tears. "Please. Please stop."

"Stop what?" Vee growled, without looking at her.

"Stop hurting yourself."

Vee snorted.

"Yes you are," Yvette argued. "You're hurting yourself, and you're hurting him too! If he really loves you -"

"SHUT UP!" Vee shrieked, springing to her tires. "Just shut up, okay! I'm just trying to do what's best here! Can't you understand that?"

Yvette backed away from her. "Not really, no."

Vee growled and turned away. She dropped back down onto the mattress and glared at the lamp on the nightstand. Yvette started to speak, but decided against it. She left the Chrysler fuming on the bed and went into the kitchen. Minutes later she returned with two chipped cups of black coffee and two day-old cinnamon rolls. Vee had calmed considerably by now and took her friend's offering with a blush and a murmur of thanks. The next few minutes were spent in silence as the two women watched the news.

"I know what I'm going to do now," Vee announced suddenly.

Yvette looked over at her. "What?"

"I'm gonna head back east again on Route 62. There should be just enough gas in my tank to get me to Twentynine Palms."

"What's in Twentynine Palms?"

Vee shrugged and took another bite of her cinnamon roll. "Very little," she mumbled with her mouth full. She took a gulp of coffee to wash it down. "But at least I know the area. My aunt Vera lived there before she moved up to Oregon and I used to stay with her sometimes."

"Yeah, but - why there?"

Vee shrugged again and her eyes wandered back to the weather report on TV. "I've got the where down. Don't really need a reason why." Yvette continued to stare at her as though she were crazy. "Seriously. All I need is a fresh start in a brand-new town, far away from… from everything," Vee explained. She did not sound nearly as convincing as she'd hoped she would.

"Well, if you're going to go all the way out there then you should at least -" Yvette was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Excuse me," she murmured, and went to answer it. A light blue pickup truck stood out on the landing. He looked her over with a lustful eye.

"You Yvette?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

"Um, yeah. I am." Yvette blushed and backed up. "Could you excuse me for a second?"

"Sure."

Yvette shut the door and turned to face Vee. "My john's here," she announced, blushing again. She gave Vee an apologetic look.

"Oh, right." Vee rose from the mattress and started toward the door. Yvette moved aside to let her out. Just as Vee placed her tire on the doorknob, though, Yvette pushed her own tire against the door to keep her from opening it.

"Wait."

Vee looked at her curiously.

Yvette blushed yet again as she fumbled for words. "Listen. I know you're strapped for cash right now, and I've got another appointment tomorrow night, so - um - if you want…" she nodded at the door.

Vee stared at her in surprise. Her thoughts immediately returned to Mack. "Well, that's awful nice of you, but - I really shouldn't."

"Oh, it's okay!" Yvette assured her. "I'm doing all right here. Really. You need the money more than I do. So go ahead."

Vee was silent for a long time. Yes, she did need the money. Very badly. There was absolutely no telling what would happen once her tank hit empty again. She tried to push all thoughts of Mack from her mind, convincing herself that their relationship had ended the moment she'd left him that letter back in the trailer. _What am I going to do? I promised myself I'd never go back to that life! But I can't go on like this. I need money! And it's only a quick gig away. It's almost too easy, but why does it have to seem so damn hard? Chrysler…_

Vee sighed heavily and let go of the doorknob. "All right." She backed away and Yvette opened the door.

"Come on in," she said. The truck drove into the apartment and glanced around. He noticed Vee immediately.

"Who's this?" he asked, giving her the same appraising look he'd given the Corvette a minute before.

"Oh, this is my friend Veronica." Yvette parked beside her. "Veronica, this is, um…"

"Dave."

"Right! Dave."

The truck smirked. "Nice to meet you, Veronica."

Vee smiled back and dipped her hood in a quick nod. During her time as an escort, she had always preferred sticking to the pleasantries and not the physical aspects of her work, but this time, she wanted nothing more than to just hurry up and get down to business. _The sooner it's over, the better,_ she told herself.

"Veronica's only in town for today," Yvette was saying, "but she's available this evening if you don't mind having her instead."

Dave grinned and rolled closer to Vee. "Wouldn't mind at all," he purred. Vee forced her face to mirror his lustful expression.

"Great!" Yvette turned quickly and drove to the door. She seemed very eager to leave the apartment. "I'll just go over to Darla's for awhile then. See ya!"

Before Vee could answer her, she was gone. She stared at the door after it had closed behind her, shocked. Well, not that shocked. Yvette had always been the shy type, and it had been clear from the day she had started working for Slade that she would rather do anything else than submit herself to the perverted whims of strange men.

"So, what brings you to L.A.?" asked the pickup, drawing Vee's attention away from the door.

"Oh, just passing through," she replied casually. She glanced past him to the mattress. "I uh, I suppose you'd like to get started now?"

Dave's grin turned devious. "You read my mind." Vee started toward the bed, but he moved in front of her. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, his lips already just inches from hers.

Vee fidgeted. "Well, normally I _urmph! _-" her words were cut off suddenly by his lips pressing hard against hers. Startled, she tried to back up, but she barely moved an inch when her rear bumper hit the wall behind her. She stared wide-eyed at the truck for a moment, then gave in and surrendered to him. She moaned quietly, shutting her eyes. Dave seemed to think she was enjoying it, because his kiss suddenly became more passionate. Vee felt his tongue slide into her mouth and nearly gagged at the stale taste of beer and cigarettes on it. When he finally pulled back, he was slightly breathless and his eyes were clouded with lust. Vee swallowed hard. The taste was still there.

Feeling numb, she drove around him and climbed onto the bed, waiting for him to follow. He climbed on next her and started caressing her side with a tire. "Mm, you've got some nice curves," he murmured. "Chrysler, right?"

"Mm-hm." Vee shivered under his touch.

His tire started moving further back, slowly but surely, until it was tracing the curve of her rear wheel well. Vee tensed when said tire suddenly slid along the underside of her back bumper.

"Mind lifting it up a little?"

"Huh?"

"Your bumper. Couldja lift it up a bit?"

"Oh! Sure."

His tire slid even lower. Vee sucked in a sharp breath as it explored forbidden territory.

"Ooooh, nice," he purred, stroking her undercarriage. Vee tensed again, but kept her backend up to allow him access. She gritted her teeth and tried to imagine Mack in the truck's place, but the very thought of her best friend only made it all the more unbearable. _Come on, damn it! Let's just get this over with… _

As though he had read her mind, Dave suddenly pulled his tire out from under her. Vee breathed a small sigh of relief and lowered her bumper.

"No, no. Keep it up," he told her. Reluctantly, she complied. It wasn't until she felt his weight on top of her that the severity of the situation began to sink in. _Oh Chrysler, what am I doing?_ Vee gasped and pulled herself out from under the truck.

"What the hell!" Dave barked, glaring at her.

Vee blushed, giving him a flustered look. "I'm sorry," she told him. Her voice cracked and tears pricked her eyes. "But I just can't do this right now."

Dave sneered and climbed off the bed. "Fine! Then get that other girl back in here!"

Vee was all too glad to get out of the apartment and away from the irate truck. She looked down the landing and noticed that number twenty-two's door was open. A monster ballad was playing somewhere inside. She drove up to the door and gave it a tentative knock.

"Yeah?" came a woman's voice.

"Is Yvette in there?"

"Yes I am," Yvette replied, appearing in the doorway. She looked surprised to see Vee standing there. "Something wrong?"

Vee blinked back a tear and shook her hood. "I gotta go."

"Already?"

"Yeah."

Yvette drove out onto the landing and looked over at her own apartment. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I just - I gotta get going." Vee turned away.

Yvette stared at her, confused. "Veronica -"

A second later a red Mercedes came out behind her. She smirked when she saw Vee. "Still kicking, huh? I thought for sure Slade would have thrashed your ass by now."

Vee said nothing. She didn't even look back at her.

"Come on, Darla, leave her alone!" Yvette pleaded. "She's been through enough lately."

"See you later," Vee mumbled, driving away. She paused in front of Yvette's door and nodded at it. "He's in there waiting for you." Then without another word she drove down the ramp and was gone.

Yvette stared after her for a moment, then went into her apartment. A minute later Dave came out looking thoroughly disgruntled. He spotted Darla and drove up to her.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she replied. "Looking for a good time?"

"Hell yeah!"

Darla gave him an impish grin and waved a tire at her open door. He started to go inside, then stopped and turned to her. "Wait. You're not gonna back out on me too, are you?" he demanded.

Darla laughed and pushed him inside the apartment.

* * *

_Okay, DA's working now, and the pic for this chapter is up. Go see it!_

_Only three chapters left to go! YAY!  
_


	33. Road Rage

_Okay, warnings: this chapter gets pretty violent. And rude. Yep.  
__Lotsa cussin' and a-feudin' ahead, so bewares. _

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:  
ROAD RAGE

The police cruiser studied the young woman standing before him. She was a mess - covered with scrapes, dents, and tread marks, she was leaking oil and one of her headlights was broken. On top of all this, she was breathless and shaking, and her eyes were brimmed with tears, though she was doing a commendable job holding them back.

"You know we can't press charges unless you tell us who did this to you," he told her.

"I don't care about that!" she shouted. "This isn't about me! It's about my friend! I've told you that already but you're not listening!"

Her outburst drew the attention of everyone inside the building. The LAPD substation was packed with the usual crowd, several vehicles sniveling over some petty misdemeanor.

"All right, Miss. Please, calm down," the officer soothed. "You're not going to get anywhere by yelling."

Yvette snorted. "Well I'm not getting anywhere just talking calmly to you either, am I?"

The officer sighed. "All right. Just start from the beginning, and this time slow it down a bit."

Yvette took a steadying breath and nodded. "Okay." She was about to relay her story again when the door opened and a group of four vehicles came in.

"Excuse me," said the leader of the group, an older model with a blue paintjob, "we need to file a missing person report."

"Be with you in a minute, sir," said the cruiser. He turned back to the Corvette and nodded. "Go on."

Yvette took another deep breath and started again. "Okay, my friend Veronica came to visit yesterday, and after she left my neighbor came and asked me where she was staying. I told her I didn't know. Actually, I did know, but I didn't want to tell her because I don't trust her. And I was right not to." Her eyes hardened and her voice grew cold.

"And is she the one who assaulted you?" asked the cop.

"No, but she ratted us out. She called our old boss. We - all three of us - used to work together - and he showed up this morning and demanded to know where Veronica was. When I didn't tell him, he… he …" Yvette's voice cracked and a few tears spilled down her hood.

"He did this to you."

"Yes. He did. Even when I did tell him, he didn't stop. Told him all I know, and he still…" her sob was so loud it caught the attention of the entire group that had just come in.

The officer patted her tire with his. "It's all right, Miss. Just take your time."

Yvette sniffled and composed herself once more. "Okay. I'm okay." She took a long swallow of water from the paper cup the cruiser had given her. "I came over here as soon as I could get a spare on. I had to borrow one from the landlady after he slashed one of my tires. But he's after Veronica, and he's going to kill her!"

The old blue car that had come with the group raised a curious brow as he listened to Yvette's story. She didn't notice.

"All right," said the officer. "Before we can do anything, I'm going to need both your friend's name and your assailant's name, along with physical descriptions, plate numbers, and anything else you can give me."

Yvette nodded. "My friend's name is Veronica Vroom and she's a gr - I mean a lavender Chrysler Concorde -"

"Excuse me," the blue car interrupted again, this time speaking to Yvette. "Did you just say Veronica Vroom?"

Yvette stared at him uncertainly. "Yes, I did. Why?"

"Because we happen to be looking for a young woman of that same name and description. Tell me, where can we find her?"

Yvette frowned. "Forget it, I'm not telling you anything! The last time I told someone I paid dearly for it! Look at me! This isn't normal wear and tear!"

"But you don't underst -"

"No! Leave me alone! Unless you're a cop, I'm not talking to you!"

"Well, what a coincidence!" said Sheriff as he pulled up beside Doc. "Because I just happen to be a cop."

Yvette stared at him in surprise, taking in his uniform paintjob and beacon.

The cruiser gave Sheriff a scathing look. "Sir, I am trying to help this young woman file a police report. She's already asked your friend here to leave her alone, and if I have to -"

Sheriff huffed a frustrated breath and turned sideways, displaying his badge. The cruiser shut his mouth. Doc turned to Yvette again.

"We're looking for Miss Vroom," he said simply. "We're friends of hers from Radiator Springs, Arizona. We know all about the trouble she's in and we're here to help. Please, Miss, won't you help us find her before Slade Ford does?"

Yvette's eyes widened and she backed away. "H-how do you know about him?" she asked timidly. "You can't know, unless… unless you're working for him!" She jabbed an accusing tire at Doc, who looked only mildly amused.

"Or unless we really are who we say we are," he replied with a smile.

Yvette glared at him and shook her hood fiercely. "I don't believe you."

Doc's smile faded. "What will it take to make you believe?"

Yvette scrunched her face up as though she were in pain. "Who else is looking for her? Just you two?" she demanded of the two men.

Doc glanced at Sheriff. "The two of us, and the two of them," he replied, jerking his hood back to indicate the red racecar and rusty tow truck standing behind him. "Oh, and him too."

"Who?"

"The big guy outside."

Yvette looked past the four men to see a large red semi truck parked just outside the too-small doorway. It took her a moment to notice the name MACK engraved in the chrome above his grille, but when she did, her eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Doc again, too stunned to speak. Doc smiled.

It was shortly after noon when Vee pulled off the highway and parked under the canopy of a tiny diner in the middle of the desert. Normally she wouldn't have given a second thought to the light rain that was falling, but this time all she wanted was a break from the dismal weather, however short. She supposed that her time spent on the run should have accustomed her to outdoor life. In fact, she wished it had. But it hadn't. The endless gray road, the endless gray desert, and the endless gray sky were all starting to take their toll on her.

A carhop approached her as she sat idling. "Well hey there!" chirped the middle-aged woman, startling Vee. "Can I getcha something, honey?" Her smile was too wide for her face.

Vee gave a much smaller smile in return and shook her hood. "No, thanks. I'm just - taking a little break. Hope that's okay."

"Sure!" said the carhop. "You take as long as you need to. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Vee nodded and the carhop drove back inside the diner. She was relieved to be alone again. The roar of cars on the highway behind her and the drumming of rain on the aluminum canopy quickly began to lull her into an almost sleeplike state. Vee stared at the faded menu before her without reading it or even looking at the bleached and bland-looking pictures of food on it.

_Chrysler, what am I going to do? I should be in Twentynine Palms already! Or back at Yvette's. Why didn't I just stay with her_ _like she asked me to? Sure it's L.A., but at least I wouldn't have been all alone. If only…_

"VEE!" came a man's voice, startling her from her thoughts. Before she could even turn around, she found herself being jostled and shouted at from all sides. It wasn't until she was pulled aside by a large tire and into a crushing embrace that she realized what was happening.

"Mack!" she gasped, staring up at the big rig in shock. "What are you - how did you - oh my Dodge!" she cried and threw herself at him. Mack and Vee were both sobbing and laughing and babbling like babies as they hugged and kissed each other repeatedly.

Tears were pouring down Vee's hood and she was breathless by the time she pulled away. She turned to look at the other vehicles surrounding her: Doc, Sheriff, Mater, Lightning and -

"Yvette?" Vee's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the young woman standing before her. At first, it was her mere presence in the group that had surprised her. Then, it was her ghastly appearance. "Oh Dodge, Yvette, what happened to -" her next words were cut off by the Corvette's sudden hug. Vee hugged her back, surprised yet again to hear her sobbing.

"Slade," she whispered, and Vee understood completely. She tried to give her friend a reassuring pat, but Yvette suddenly pulled herself out of her grip and backed away. "It's all my fault! It's all my fault!" she wailed. "I didn't mean to tell him where you were going, but him and Joey…" she sucked in a sharp breath and shuddered. "They just - they just - w-wouldn't s-s-stop…"

Vee stared in horror as Yvette wept openly in front of her. She drove up to the young woman and laid a gentle tire on her cheek. "Sshhh. It's okay."

"No!" Yvette shrieked, pulling away from her again. "Don't you see? He knows where to find you now! He's coming! You have to get out of here!"

Vee's look of surprise turned into a scowl. "Let him come, then," she growled, turning to address everyone present. "I'm sick of running from that bastard, and I am NOT going to sit idly by while he hurts other people just to get to me! I'm going to face him myself this time!"

"Vee, no!" Mack argued. "You can't! He'll kill you! You said so yourself!" He pulled her close again. "I can't let you do it," he whimpered. "I don't want to lose you again."

Vee wriggled out of his grip. "I can't keep running from him either, Mack. I have to stand up to him. If I don't he'll just go right through the next person standing in his way to get to me. I mean, look at what he did to Yvette!" she exclaimed, gesturing at the other woman with a tire. Mack stared at the little Corvette for a long moment, as though just now seeing her for the first time.

"If he wants to kill me, then I'm going to meet him halfway," Vee growled, turning toward the highway. Mack plunged after her.

"Wait! Where are you going now?" he demanded. "You're not actually going to go looking for him, are you?"

Vee paused by the roadside. "Why not? Better than waiting for him to find me. At least this way I have some control over the situation."

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere without me!" Mack argued. He laid a heavy tire on her backside as if to hold her back.

"Or me," said Doc, pulling up beside them.

"Or me!" Mater declared zealously.

"Or… the rest of us," Sheriff added, with considerably less enthusiasm.

Vee looked around at the group of vehicles, speechless. After a long time she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It was Yvette's scream that shattered the silence.

The entire group turned as one toward the terrified Corvette, who was staring in horror at a pair of vehicles approaching the diner. When Vee saw who they were, her engine died. Nobody uttered a sound or made a single move even as the black pickup and the gray SUV parked in front of the group and looked at Vee.

"Hello, whore," Joey growled with a far-too-pleasant smile. Vee said nothing.

Mack charged forward and stopped just an inch short from hitting him. His oil-curdling growl was answer enough for that insult. Joey winced slightly but did not back down.

Slade looked Mack over as though he were sizing him up. Then he turned to Vee with a smirk. "Is this what you're screwing now? A trucker?" he snorted. "Well, that's low even for you. But, what do I care? You're dead to me now. You're nothing! Nothing but a dirty little slut." He drove closer to her until his face was just inches from hers. "I made you what you are. I made you worth something. And now, you're nothing. Worthless. You couldn't even _pay_ a man to have you."

This time, Mack lost his temper and rammed him in the side. Slade rolled once and was back on his tires in an instant.

"You stay away from her," Mack growled, "Or next time I'll kill you."

Slade gave him a split-second fearful look that was immediately replaced with a glare to match the big rig's. He gave Vee a sideways glance, then looked the other way at Yvette, who was standing a short distance away from the others. Then, to everyone's surprise, he smiled.

"Go ahead, keep her," he said to Mack. "Hoes like her are a dime a dozen. I don't need that little pyro burning down my new place, not when I've got nice, well-behaved hoes like that one right there." He turned to Yvette as he said this and the young woman cringed. Slade and Joey both smirked as they advanced on her. She backed up against the wall of the diner, trembling. "And if I can't have the trucker's whore, I'll just have to take you back with me instead."

Vee growled and drove forward. "You leave her alone!"

Slade looked back at Vee in his mirror. "And what are you going to do if I don't? Burn me again?" He laughed. "Hey Joey, got any matches on you?" Joey snickered. The two men closed in on Yvette.

Vee accelerated and slammed into Slade's tailgate. Slade yelped and swung around. Joey turned too. Vee backed away, drawing them after her. "Yvette, run!" she yelled. "GO!"

Yvette watched in horror as her attackers went after Vee, but once Vee started yelling Joey turned back to keep her from fleeing. Yvette saw him coming back toward her and took off, sideswiping him on her way to the highway. Joey spun around and took off after her.

"NO!" Vee screamed, dashing after both of them with Slade on her tail. Mack and the others echoed Vee's screams as they followed.

Yvette sped down the highway with Joey close behind. She could hear Vee calling out to her some distance back. She swerved into the opposite lane and headed back the way she had come. Caught by surprise, Joey fell behind. Vee caught a glimpse of Yvette passing her in the opposite direction. She started to turn to go after her when Joey came barreling past after Yvette. He was closely followed by half a dozen more cars that kept Vee from going after him.

Slade caught up just then and rammed her in the bumper. Vee swerved and nearly fell into the opposite lane just as an oncoming big rig blared his horn at her. Seemingly encouraged by this, Slade rammed her again. This time Vee made sure to swerve into the slow lane, but Slade squeezed in beside her and pushed her back toward the other side of the highway. Vee pushed back as hard as she could. Several cars going in both directions honked at them as they weaved back and forth across the road. Both Vee and Slade narrowly missed getting hit several times.

Out of nowhere, Joey sprang up behind Vee and slammed into her. Vee was jolted forward by the force and left open to another attack from Slade. He threw himself against her, trying once again to push her into the path of oncoming traffic. Several vehicles were forced off the road to avoid hitting them.

Several car-lengths back, Mack and the others watched helplessly as Vee was tossed back and forth all over the road. Yvette, who had fallen back in with the group after losing Joey, tried to catch up with them, but was unable to get past the heavy traffic. Not even Lightning could weave his way through the congestion. There were many big rigs on the road, all toting trailers behind them. This made them even more difficult to pass, if not impossible.

Mack saw the danger coming long before the others did and blared his horn to warn Vee. His own horn was drowned out by those of two other semis approaching in the opposite direction. Vee didn't need any warning. In fact, she ignored them all as the two trucks came barreling toward her and plunged forward to meet them. Slade and Joey followed closely. She saw her chance - a narrow opening between the two big rigs - if she could just squeeze through it…

Suddenly, Slade rammed into her again, pushing her into the path of one of the two trucks. Vee turned sharply and skidded sideways. The semi blared his horn again and tried to brake and swerve around her at the same time. He jackknifed and cut directly across the path of the other semi in the lane next to him. Vee ducked under the trailer as it swung toward her.

Mack watched in horror as Vee disappeared under the trailer just as the first truck was struck by the second truck. The force of the impact, combined with the pull of the jackknifed trailer, threw the first big rig to the asphalt. The trailers of both semis were wrenched from their hitches and thrown to the ground as well. Slade and Joey also watched Vee disappear beneath the first trailer just seconds before it came down on top of them, crushing them both.

Everything - all traffic, all sound, all thought, all reason - came to a screeching halt in that earth-shattering instant. "NOOO!" Mack screamed into the silence. He pushed his way through the standstill that surrounded the two big rigs with Doc, Mater, Lightning, Sheriff and Yvette close behind. One of the trailers lay in the middle of the highway. Oil, coolant and other fluids formed a dark pool beneath the first trailer. The other trailer lay in a ditch a short distance away.

Mack stared numbly down at the wreckage even as Doc pushed his way forward to examine the crushed vehicles. Another big rig came forward out of the crowd and lifted the trailer up. There was no doubt about it. Slade and Joey were both dead. As horrific as it was, Mack couldn't help but stare at their mangled bodies.

"Veronica!" Yvette cried, pulling up beside him. "Where's Veronica?" The name was like a slap in Mack's face. Engine racing, he looked around frantically, scanning the highway for any sign of his friend. In the ditch on side of the road, just beyond the trailer that had fallen into it, he caught a glimpse of lavender.

* * *

_BOOOOOO to the mother of all cliffhangers! XD  
And only two chapters left to go!!_


	34. Route 62

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR:  
ROUTE 62

Mack's tires carried him over to the ditch as though they had a mind of their own. He felt like he was driving through a dark, narrow tunnel, the strip of lavender he knew to be Vee guiding him forward. She lay there, at the bottom of the ditch, in a bed of tumbleweeds, trash and mud. All he could see of her from where he stood was her back end, sticking out from beneath the trailer. She didn't move. Without thinking he grabbed hold of the trailer and pulled it up out of the ditch. Now that he could see the rest of her, he sucked in a sharp breath and a sob escaped his throat.

A wide, deep scrape ran from bumper to bumper along her right side, and both her roof and hood had such large dents in them that they appeared to be caved in.

"Vee!" he cried. She did not respond. Mack tried to reach down into the ditch to pull her out, but she was too far down. The dirt ledge crumbled beneath him and he nearly toppled into the ditch himself. A moment later Doc and the others flanked him. Yvette looked down, let out a strangled cry, and turned away.

"Mater!" Doc shouted, looking around for the tow truck. Mater was already lowering his cable down into the ditch. Lightning dove in after and slipped the hook under Vee's back bumper. He then drove around to her front and started pushing. Mack stared numbly at the scene that was playing out before him. Both Doc and Sheriff had to order him aside as Vee was lifted out and set down in front of them.

Mater didn't even have a chance to unhook himself before Mack burst forward and snatched the Chrysler up in his tires. Tears spilled from his hood and splashed on hers. "Oh Vee…"

He heard Doc saying something, but the words went right over his cab. Something pulled at his tire and he was dimly aware of Sheriff trying to pry him away from the woman he loved. Mack let go of her finally and set her down with utmost care, then allowed the squad car to lead him away.

A silent circle formed around Doc Hudson as he worked over the injured Chrysler. Hours seemed to pass when in reality only a few minutes ticked by. Now and then there was a quiet moan or the faint shimmy of an engine trying to turn over. Mack never took his eyes off her. _Please, Vee. Please be okay. Please… _

With a heavy sigh, Doc shut her hood. The loud bang made everyone jump. Mack rolled forward an inch or two, watching Vee's face for some sign of consciousness. After a moment, her eyelids began to flutter. Mack held his breath. Her mouth twisted in a painful-looking sneer. She groaned and creaked as she rose up on wobbly tires.

Mack's engine flooded with relief and he flung himself at her, snatching her up in an enormous hug as a fresh wave of tears rained down on her.

"Easy there, Mack!" Doc said with a chuckle. "I don't want to have to fix her again so soon."

Mack ignored him. It wasn't until he heard Vee's muffled protest that he dared release her. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" he scolded her, his headlight to headlight smile betraying his harsh tone. Vee said nothing. Her smirk spoke volumes.

The small crowd closed in around her, each car cheering and hugging her in turn. Mater smacked her bumper with his hook and laughed. Vee laughed too and slugged him back.

"That was the most incredible racing I've ever seen!" Lightning exclaimed.

Sheriff snorted, then turned to face Vee with a frown. "Racing, my ass!" he growled. "That was THE most horrendous display of reckless driving it has ever been my displeasure to witness! Why, I ought to slap a boot on you right now!"

Vee did not argue. She just stared back at him, blank-faced.

"However," he continued, "seeing as we're not in Carburetor County, I'm afraid that this incident falls outside of my jurisdiction." Everyone was surprised by his sudden smile.

Vee stared numbly at the remains of the two men who had made the last four years of her life so miserable. She was achy and exhausted from her ordeal. It was late afternoon now, and the autumn wind brought with it an icy drizzle that stung her scrapes and made her shiver. Mack noticed and put a tire around her. She leaned into him with a grateful sigh. If he hadn't been there to support her, she didn't think she would have had the strength to endure the endless interrogation from the Highway Patrol.

Besides the two fatalities, there had been very few injuries resulting from the wreck. Vee and the two big rigs had suffered the worst of it, yet thankfully all three were fit enough to drive home unassisted. It seemed to take forever for the trailers to be removed and the bodies to be cleaned up and hauled away. When the road was finally cleared, Mack, Vee and the others stood aside and waited for the backed-up traffic to thin out.

The sun was setting somewhere beyond the clouds by the time the group was back on the highway and heading home. Vee drove alongside Mack at the front of their little caravan. Neither one spoke, simply content to be together again. After a while Mack turned his radio on to check the local weather and traffic reports.

"Hey Vee," he said suddenly. "Turn your radio on!"

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Vee complied. All she got was static.

"99.9 FM," Mack clarified.

It took her a moment to tune in to the station. Though she had no idea what she was supposed to be listening for, she was mildly surprised when she heard Chuck Berry singing "Route 66." She gave Mack a questioning look. In the last of the light she could see his mischievous grin.

_Well it goes through Saint Louis  
Joplin, Missouri  
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty…_

"Yeah, that's great," she mumbled, "but in case you haven't noticed, this is Route Sixty-TWO, not Sixty-six."

Mack's smile grew. "Exactly!"

Vee arched a brow at him, but said nothing. She turned the volume up and listened to the rest of the song.

_Won't you get hip to this kindly tip  
Take that California trip  
Get your kicks on Route 66  
Get your kicks on Route 66  
And I'll meet you on Route 62..._

Vee looked at Mack again, eyes wide.

Mack chuckled. "I guess we finally figured out what that last part means, huh?"

Vee shook her hood. "I thought it was just a coincidence. What do you think it means?"

Mack shrugged. "Eh, I dunno. What do _you_ think it means?"

"Something really corny, I'm sure."

"I thought it meant something special."

This time Vee shrugged. "I suppose."

"Well, after all we've been through, and after coming all this way just to meet you here, I'd say that's something pretty special, wouldn't you?"

Vee chuckled. "Okay, now that was just plain corny! And special," she purred, driving closer to him.

Looking back in her rearview mirror, Vee spotted Yvette driving by herself several car-lengths behind. She fell back until she was level with the young woman. Even in the dark she could still clearly see the tread marks on her face and the distant look in her sky blue eyes. She appeared to be lost in thought.

"Hey," said Vee, giving her an encouraging smile.

"Hey," the Corvette replied, smiling back.

They drove in silence, side by side. The pavement hummed beneath their tires and the rain ran in rivulets up their windshields. Vee turned her wipers on, then looked over at Yvette to see that she had done the same. Yvette glanced back at her and both women laughed.

"Been one hell of a day, hasn't it?" Vee said, turning them off again.

"I'll say! Thank Dodge it's over now."

"Oh, it's not over," Vee replied solemnly. "Not by a long shot." Yvette stared at her curiously. Vee smiled again. "It's just the start of something better."

* * *

_Apologies for the crappy corniness of this chapter.  
__I had to cram some mushy sentiments in somewhere XD.  
__AND ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT TO GO!!!_


	35. When You Find Yourself

_And now, I give you... the final chapter of "I'll Meet You On Route 62"!_

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:  
WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF

A shining speck appeared in the distance, followed by a cloud of dust. What started out as a faint buzz, like that of a beetle's wings, grew louder and louder. The entire population of Radiator Springs sat on the sidelines, watching with bated breath, as Vee came speeding around the final turn. Doc Hudson stood just beyond the finish line, nervous eyes glancing back and forth between the Chrysler and his stopwatch. Sarge stood across from him, equally intent on timing her. Just a short distance away from both of them stood Mack. His unblinking gaze never left Vee's face.

With a sudden boost in speed, Vee flew the last hundred yards toward the finish line like a bullet charged by lightning. Doc clicked the stopwatch as the purple blur zoomed past him. Sarge nearly dropped his own watch as he was shaken by the wind of her wake. Cheers rained down from the rise where the crowd had parked to watch. Several of them started driving down to congratulate her in person. Mack was the first to reach her, sweeping her up in a gigantic hug.

"Now hold on just a damn second!" Sarge commanded, and everyone fell silent and turned to look at him. He glared at Vee and huffed an irritated breath through his grille. "Sorry to rain on your little victory, but you said you could beat the course in thirty-five minutes FLAT!"

"Yes, I did," Vee replied evenly. "What's your point?"

Sarge smirked and held up his stopwatch. "Thirty-five minutes and two point eight seconds! You lose, Missy! You lose, and I win!"

Vee, Mack, and the rest of the crowd stared at the watch in disbelief.

"Hold on a minute, Sarge," Doc spoke up. "I think one of us has a faulty stopwatch, because mine says she beat the time, with two seconds to spare!" He showed everyone his own watch. Sarge glared at him and snorted.

Sheriff double-checked both watches before holding up his own. "Thirty-four minutes and fifty-eight seconds exactly," he stated. His smile caused Sarge's frown to deepen. The crowd cheered again.

"All right!" exclaimed Ramone. "I just won a hundred bucks! In yo face, ese!" he taunted, lifting up his back end and waving it in Guido's face. Guido responded with a string of Italian curses and a tire iron shoved up Ramone's tailpipe.

During the commotion, Sarge fixed Vee with an accusatory glare and growled. Vee just smiled back and nodded at something behind him. Sarge turned around and his tank churned at the sight of Fillmore standing there.

The bus smiled at him. "Hey man," he murmured. Sarge growled at him and his smile faded. "What?"

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd started chanting.

Sarge turned to Vee with brimstone in his eyes. Again, Vee just smiled.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" he growled.

Mack parked beside Vee and gave the Jeep an expectant look.

"'Fraid not," she replied.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Sarge glared daggers at everyone else before turning back to Fillmore. The furious look on his face did not lessen. He could feel himself overheating already. Taking a deep breath, Sarge shut his eyes tight and plunged forward. He had barely pecked Fillmore's bumper when Mack rolled up behind him and gave him a sharp nudge. The Jeep's startled cry was silenced as his lips meshed with the hippie's in a passionate, if unintentional, kiss. The crowd went wild.

It seemed to take a ridiculously long time for Sarge to break away from Fillmore and when he did, the star on his hood was glowing bright pink and it was impossible to tell whether his bumper was curled in a smile or a grimace. A sudden stream of ice-cold water shot him in the face before Red turned his hose on every other vehicle present. Far from upset, everyone had a good laugh except Sarge, who glared heatedly at the fire truck. His normally intimidating scowl was lost on Red, who was now eagerly hosing down a giggling Mia.

Mack's own attention was quickly distracted by the sopping wet Chrysler parked beside him. He grinned down at her. She grinned back and winked, then turned and drove away. Mack wasted no time following her.

* * *

Dusk had fallen by the time Mack and Vee reached the lookout point. Above and behind them, the peaks of Cadillac Range were bathed in a warm, rosy glow while far below Ornament Valley lay in a sea of deep blue shadows. Cotton candy clouds floated across the darkening sky and the sun shimmered like molten gold on the black horizon.

Mack parked next to Vee and pulled her close with a tire. They stood on the cliff, side by side, surveying the valley before them. Neither one said anything for a long time. Both were simply content to watch the sunset together.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Vee asked after a while.

Mack looked down at her and smiled at the way the golden light played off her curves. "It sure is," he replied, without taking his eyes off her.

Vee glanced up at him and chuckled. Mack turned to face her and pulled her closer, planting a large yet tender kiss on her door. Vee purred and leaned into him.

"You know what?" he murmured against her side.

"Mm, what?"

"I'm kind of glad that I pulled out in front of you that day," Mack said with a blush. "I felt bad about it for a long time, but… well, I still do, actually. But now… now I'm sort of glad I did it."

Vee smiled. "Me too."

Mack arched a brow at her. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

"Of course not. I mean it."

"Even though I dented you up real bad?"

Vee nodded. "It was worth it." She gazed up at him and the last rays of sunlight danced in her eyes before the sun disappeared below the horizon. "You stopped me, Mack. You stopped me from running away, and you stopped me from making some very stupid mistakes and ruining my life. You saved me that day, and that's worth way more than a few measly dents. I should really thank you for that."

Mack blushed and smiled. "No you shouldn't."

"Yes, I should," Vee argued. "If you hadn't stopped me, we wouldn't be here right now, and I wouldn't be thanking you like this…" she trailed off, turning toward him until her groping lips found his. They kissed deeply and for a very long time.

When at last they broke apart, they were both breathless and nighttime had settled over the valley. Neither vehicle bothered turning on their headlights. Even in the dark Vee could see that Mack was blushing redder than ever and grinning like a fool. "Well in that case, I really am glad I stopped you," he said. "And I'd do it again in a second!"

Vee chuckled. "I hope you do," she purred, kissing him again. Then they turned as one toward the cliff and parked there side by side, gazing out at the sleepy valley below.

THE END

* * *

_WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! (doing my victory dance) IT'S FINISHED! OH YEAH! TIME TO PARTY HARDY! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (collapses)_

_Thank you all for reading my fic, for all your encouraging reviews and comments on my art. It really means a lot to me to know that I have such devoted readers who enjoy my work. I hope you'll all read and enjoy the sequel as well._

_Please come check out my FFN profile. I've got a poll set up for choosing the title of my sequel, plus my own forum. If you're going to vote, please vote quickly because I intend to get started on the sequel ASAP and I'll need a title before I can post the first chapter. And don't forget to check out DA for the illustrations and all my other Cars art!_


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